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THE SERPENT 



OF 



Sugar Creek Colony, 

A Temperance Narrative 

OF 

PIONEER LIFE IN OHIO. 



BY REV. J. B. ROBINSON, D. D., PH. D. 

Author of ''Infidelity Answered," "Vines of Eshcoi," 
"Emetine," " Commencement Record" etc., &*c. 



PHILADELPHIA, PA. 

G. W. JOHNSON, PRINTER, 49 N. NINTH ST. 

1885. 






Copyrighted I884, by J. B. Robinson. 



I 



^ 



TO 

m SAINTED FATHER AND MOTHER, 

Two of the most amiable Christians 

of the Life that now is; 

and — next to DEITY — two or the most 

thrillingly Pleasing Attractions, 

because of 

Anticipated Reunion and Eternal Association, 

of the Life that is to come, 

This Little Book 

Is Reverently Dedicated, 
by 

THE AUTHOR. 



CONTENTS. 



Chapter 1. Emigration. 

2. Through the Wilderness. 

3. Pioneers. 

4. The Entrance of the Serpent. 

5. The Settlement in Consternation. 

6. First Fruits. 

7. The New Corn Market. 

8. Fresh Yeast. 

9. Harvest. 

10. The Quilting Party. 

11. The Corn Husking Party. 

12. The Log Rolling Party. 

13. Strides of Improvement. 

14. A Sunday School started. 

15. The Four Corners, a Second Curse. 

16. The Fourth of July Celebration. 

17. One More Victim of the Still-House. 

18. The Asiatic Cholera. 

19. A New Emigrant. 

20. Radicalism in Temperance. 



D CONTENTS. 

Chapter 21. A Great Wonder— A Railroad. 

22. Flying Years. 

23. Homes Affected by the Still-House. 

24. Devore's Benevolence. 

25. A Great Temperance Revival. 

26. A Little Crusading. 

27. Repentance at Last. 

28. Still Another Victim. 

29. Delirium Tremens. 

30. Devore's Confession. 

31. Jo. Roberts' Temperance Speech. 

32. Planting a Whisky Village. 

33. Union Church Dedicated. 

34. Devore's Servant Cabery. 

35. Spencer Martin, the Squire's Son. 

36. Effect of the Still-House on the value 
of Real Estate. 

37. Devore Defrauding the Revenue 
Law. 

38. Two Quite Opposite Destinies. 

39. Pilgrims Gathering Home. 

40. The Harvest of Intemperance. 

41. The Mystery of a Life Unraveled. 

42. Gathering Home. 

43. The Finale. 



THE SERPENT OF SUGAR CREEK COLONY. 



CHAPTER I. 

Emigmtion. 

" Good news, this morning, Kittie." 

"What news, William?" 

"From the Indian war; General Harrison has 
completely routed Teeumseh at Tippecanoe, and 
there is not a red-skin in fighting trim this side the 
Maumee." 

"Too good. I suppose that will decide our colo- 
ny to set out for our new Ohio home ; won't it, 
William?" 

"Yes. Uncle George is bent on going next 
spring. He is so enthusiastic about the new 
country, I think there will be four or five families 
in the emigrant train." 

"But, William, won't it be sad to leave the 
dear old hills and mountain-tops of Virginia?" 

"No, Kittie," he whispered, with an appreciative 
look; "not when you and I are to go together." 



10 THE SEE PEST OF 

So spoke William Martin, and so replied Kittle 
Stark, about the middle of Xovtmber, 1811, as 
they stood at Kittle* s door, near one of the noted 
slopes of the Greenbrier mountain, in Virginia. 

William and Kitty had grown up side by side 
into ripe Christian manhood and womanhood. 
The first of the new year they were to be made 
man and wife ; and they expected their wedding 
tour would be a horseback ride next May, with 
the emigrants of several families, hundreds of 
miles, to the new settlement. 

George Bond had been through the territory 
as a volunteer against the* Indians, under General 
Wayne, in 1794. He could not cease to praise 
the vast waste of untold wealth ; and purposed, 
when the country was safe from Indians, to carry 
his family to this Eldorado. His glowing accounts 
had also decided two or three of his neighbors 
to share his fortunes. Ohio had been admitted into 
the Union nearly ten years before. Settlements 
were no longer confined to the Ohio river, but had 
reached far up into the interior. The best of land 
could be had for a song, and thousands were leav- 
ing the exhausted Alleghanies for the new state. 
" I will have no fears or regrets, William," she 
added, "with you as protector;" and the nuptial 
arrangements were completed that day. 



M'. \ R CREEK COLONY. 11 

CHAPTER II. 

Across the Wilderness. 

Thursday. January first, came; and a small, un- 
pretentious, but enthusiastic company, gathered at 
the bouse of Samuel Stark, to witness the wedding 
of William and Kittie. The forms and ceremonies 
of old Virginia for six generations were followed, 
except that at the wedding dinner Samuel Stark 
dared to dispense with wine. It was a radical in- 
novation of his own, but amounted almost to sacri- 
lege in the eyes of some ; for the custom was supposed 
to be sacredly established at Cana of Galilee. Yet 
no open expression was offered against the infringe- 
ment, unless it was a mere remark of the youthful 
Andrew, a brother of the groom. After the excel- 
lent and ample dinner had been served, and the good 
wishes freely bestowed upon the new pair, the guests 
turned their conversation to the absorbing theme 
of the approaching emigration. Four of the princi- 
pal families present pledged themselves to join the 
expedition. A few light wagons were to be loaded 
with the essentials; the greater portion of the party 
were to go by slow journey on horseback; and some 
choice stock was to be pushed on by the boys, who 
looked to the occasion as an exciting holiday. 



12 THE SERPENT OF 

An early spring opened, bearing vegetation for" 
ward a fortnight in advance. Sales were made of 
the immovable property ; the old homes were deserted 
and the line of pilgrimage was on its way through 
the pass of the rich mountains down the Great 
Kanawha to Point Pleasant. A long line of sorrow- 
ing neighbors accompanied them through the pass; 
many tearful farewells were exchanged and the 
colony started down the valley. After numerous 
strange adventures and a journey of sixteen days 
along poor, but providentially dry roads, the fam- 
ilies of George Bond, Samuel Martin and Samuel 
Stark reached their destination. Settlements, here 
and there, rapidly increasing, portended an early 
redemption of the forest. The soil and natural 
vegetation, now clothed in bloom and richness, 
captivated every one. After camps were improvised 
for immediate shelter they selected plantations in 
an unbroken forest. Martin chose a scope east of 
Sugar Creek, Stark directly to the east of Martin, and 
Bond to the south. Then they set to work to clear 
small spots, build cabins, plant truck and look to 
future improvements. Here our story properly 
begins. 



BC6AB CREEK COLONY, 13 



CHAPTER III. 

Pioneers. 

Let us cover with silence the Sugar Creek settle- 
ment for a period of thirteen years. We break the 
silence in 1825. The boys and girls who composed 
most of that emigrant train of 1812 had become the 
heads of families. The young men had struggled 
with the ax and the maul until thrifty farms, well 
fenced and covered with golden grain, were opened 
around the hewed log cabins or the more preten- 
tious frame. Little frame school-houses, with 
slab puncheon floors, proudly stood at the cross- 
roads as a pledge of future intelligence. The 
still larger chapel of frame, capable of holding 
two hundred and fifty worshipers, was the reli- 
gious center of the whole neighborhood. What 
the chapel could not hold the shade of the walnut 
tree back of it would accommodate. Hard by the 
chapel was already planted a graveyard, with the 
m<»>t precious hopes of the settlement awaiting 
the resurrection. Down, for a score of miles, from 
numberless hills and bubbling springs poured little 
rivulets, which, collected into a perennial stream of 
some force, formed the famous Sugar Creek. It 
was always sweet and twittering in echo to the 



14 THE SERPENT OF 

birds which built their nests in the trees overhead. 
It meandered through a beautiful valley of its 
own, on and on, until it fed one of the tributaries 
of the Ohio. What would hinder this settlement 
from being a paradise? 



CHAPTER IV. 

The Entrance of the Serpent. 

"David Devore, what are you meditating 

there?" hallooed William Martin to his neighbc r. 
William was searching for his cattle and hearing 
the familiar bell down Sugar Creek, he merged 
out of the grove of pawpaws, which lined the clearing 
into the open valley farm of Devore. The latter was 
staking off a spot bordering the creek, meantime 
sighting a red flag which hung from a pole that 
had been driven into the swift eddy. 

"What scheme now?" continued Martin. "That 
foundation is big enough for a mill." 

"True," hesitated Devore. "There seems a 
great waste of water, and the fact is I have a mill 
in view." 

' ' Indeed, David, glad to hear of the improvement ; 
but what sort of a mill do you contemplate, grist or 
saw?" 

"Well— I— neither. To ' tell the truth, friend 



All CREEK COLONY. 15 

Mai tin. I have concluded to. build a distillery on 
this spot." 

t4 A distillery ! I hope not, Devore. You do not 
intend to be sinoe re -about this? Surely you are 
joking." 

"Yes. a distillery." 

"Good heavens, neighbor! you certainly do not 
intend to make \, hisky and endanger our settlement I 1 ' 

"See here, Mr. Martin; is not this my own land?" 

"Yes." 

••!> not that farm to the east yours?'' 

"Yes." 

" Do you consult me as to what or when you plant 
or plow, what stock you raise or where you market ? " 

"No." 

i 'Why. then, may I not use my lands as I prefer 
and build a distillery if I choose ?" 

"Mr. Devore, would I have a right to put poison 
within the reach of all my neighbors, or sow their 
lands with the winged thistle, or shoot at random 
into a crowd of helpless people?" 

"No; but I propose to do neither. I will build 
this distillery, buy your corn, fatten your hogs, give 
employment to many a poor man, ship my produce 
to the city, bring thrift and money into the settle- 
ment, and in so doing 1 shall be a benefactor." 

fear the worst, neighbor, and I feel as sorrow- 
ful as death at the prospect. But I must be going. 
Gocd day, Mr. Devore." 

"Good day, Mr. Martin." 



16 THE SERPENT OF 

William Martin hastened on toward the sonnd of 
the cow-bell, revolving many a sad reflection on the 
way. 

"A mill, indeed," said he to himself; u 3^es! a 
mill to grind np sonls, and families, and farms, and 
fortunes, and hopes, and happiness, between the 
upper and the nether millstones of a murderer's 
appetite for gold and the murdered man's appetite for 
liquor! Then he pretends to do this in the garb of a 
benefactor! claims to give the poor man employ- 
ment! Yes, he will employ him at drinking poison 
and ruining family and reputation! He bring thrift 
into the settlement! yes, the thrift of weeds and 
vermin and carousals and death! God have mercy!" 

Thus, before traversing the path a full mile to his 
own house, Martin had soliloquized, working him- 
self into a righteous indignation. He was a man of 
scrupulous integrity, piety and hospitality. His 
older children, now about twelve, were at the im- 
pressible age, though he trusted they had already 
given themselves to God. 

David Devore was an irreligious, though not an 
immoral man. He was regarded as a good neigh- 
bor, but he had an inordinate ambition to be rich. 



SIC. \ R CRKEK COLONY. 17 



CHAPTER V. 

The Settlement in Consternation. 

"It's awful." said old Ralph Stark to his brother 
Thomas, as they met and greeted, the next Sabbath 
morning', under the walnut tree back of the church. 
"It's awful,"' he continued, "right here in our nice 
little settlement to have a still-house !" 

"A still-house!" ejaculated Thomas. "Who? 
Where?" 

"David Devore is to build a distillery." 

' -David Devore! Who told you, Ralph? I 
can hardly believe that of him. It's too terrible." 

"Who told me? Why, I had it this very 
moment at William Martin's. William saw Devore 
yesterday staking off the foundations." As the 
church was without a bell, the people would gather 
on a Sabbath morning long before service ; and 
many a friendly greeting was exchanged by those 
strolling in. Such an opportunity for the diffusion 
of news, was, in those days, equivalent to the 
present weekly paper. The settlements all around 
would be heard from, if not directly by some enter- 
prising visitor, at least by some one or another who 



18 THE SERPENT OF 

had been the rounds during the week. 

"Did you hear the bad news, Mr. Ramscroft?" 
repeated Thomas, as the former hitched his horse 
and joined the group. 

"What news?" 

"Why, it is rumored that David Devore is 
about to build a still-house on Sugar Creek." 

"That's no news," bluffly said Ramscroft; 
several of us advised him to the improvement; 
besides, why do you call it bad news; it's good 
news; it will make a market for our corn." 

"Dear sir," said Ralph, "when our hogs eat 
the slop and our children drink the whisky, it 
will be bad enough." 

"Humph ! Mr. Stark, that is a blue view, a little 
sensational. Here, Adam Harvey, what think you 
of the new distillery?" 

"Well," said Adam, "I fear the thing, but I sup- 
pose it will help the corn market." 

"This way, men," said Ramscroft to a coming 
bevy of neighbors, "look here, David Devore is 
about to build a still-house." 

"Is it possible?" replied a half dozen voices al- 
most in concert. 

"Yes," replied Harvey, "I shall be its nearest 
neighbor. ' ' 

"We had better look out for our sons," piped in 
Abe Wyndam. 

"Yes, and for the reputation of our settlement," 
added Elder King. 



SUGAR CREEK COLONY. 19 

u Yes, and we may as well shut up our church," 
murmured old brother Bowdle, as he peered through 
his spectacles. 

By this time several others had joined the group 
under the walnut tree. 

" Let us first hear from Squire Andrew Martin," 
suggested some one. 

"What is the question at issue, gentlemen," was 
the Squire's response. 

'• The new still-house of David Devore," the first 
speaker explained. 

"Oh," said the Squire, flattered to be a select 
adviser, "if Devore deems it advisable to build it, 
and will pay his bills, I presume it is legitimate. 
Devore is a moral man, and no doubt, will conduct 
the establishment honorably and decently. What 
say you, Barclay? " 

"Well, gentlemen, I have a large farm, and raise 
several hundred bushels of corn which has no near 
market. Indeed, I think nearly every man north of 
Devore's will support and defend the still-house." 

Thus it was evident that the distillery would 
have some defenders. The whole neighborhood of 
men had in due time gathered without and the 
women within the church, all engaged in the ab- 
sorbing topic of the new still-house. Finally the 
preacher came and the services were begun. 



20 THE SERPENT OF 



CHAPTER VI. 



First Fruits. 



In three months the whole region was invited to 
the raising of the distillery. There are obligations, 
in a new country, to mutual aid, in the log rollings, 
the corn huskings and the house and barn raisings, 
that people now, on their fine farms, with multiform 
machinery, could scarcely appreciate. At that time 
pioneers were, single-handed, quite unequal to these 
ponderous tasks. So, upon the day for the raising, 
nearly a hundred men gathered with pike-poles and 
hand-spikes, to rear the lofty bents of the new 
frame. Of course liquor must be furnished to those 
who desired it. 

The "boss" carpenter first directed the sills and 
sleepers of the foundation to be fitted together and 
put in place. Then he had the men collect the suit- 
able posts, ties, braces and plates for the first bent 
of the gable, and finally adjust all together. Then 
he commanded the men to fall in rank ready to 
raise this whole side or end, from the ground to a 
perpendicular. Then he made certain precautions 
and cried, "Keady men — heave — O heave," and up 



BUGAB CREEK (Ol.nNV. W J1 

came the bent to the shoulders. "Now your pike- 
poles— steady— heave— heave !*' and up higher 
went the bent, beyond the reach of the highest 

hands. "Once more, men — cautious, now — heave — 
O heave !" and up it crept, and the tenons of the 
corner posts fell exactly into the mortises, the 
braces were made secure, and all had a well earned 
breathing spell — and alas! a spell to drink, as 
Jimmy Barclay remarked, "so as to git strength- 
ened"." Then another and another bent went up, 
the top plates were fitted on, the rafters set in 
double comb and the danger was supposed to be 
over. But the whisky imbibed was to furnish a 
sort of first fruits of the coming harvest. 

"Who can stand on the ridge pole?'' bantered 
a reckless boy. 6 *I r ' — ik I," responded several. 
And in the midst of the gazing crow d, up they 
went. 

"My head swims," cried out Sol. Gray, and 
it was with some difficulty he was piloted to the 
ground. ' W I can do it," shouted Mike Carder, 
as he cautiously crept up the slope. Pie was a 
little inspired by whisky, but yet he rose aloft 
and stood upon the ridge pole and the crowd 
shouted. Poor Mike became quickly unbalanced, 
staggered and fell to the ground and was crushed 
to a mass. Horror ran through the crowd. It 
was a sermon of awful warning. Nevertheless, 
Mrs. Carder was a widow, and her two babes 
orphans. Poor Mike was laid away in the grave- 



22 THE SERPENT 0.F 

yard near the chapel. But the still-house which 
had produced its first fruits must go on to its pro- 
lific harvest. 



BT7GAB CREEK COLON V. 23 



CHAPTER VII. 

The New Corn- Market. 

Two months later, June found the settlement 
covered with yellow wheat-fields and tender corn 
plants. The dog-fennel filled the lanes, the dande- 
lion covered the meadows with its snowy down and 
the May-apple lent its fragrance to the wood. The 
apple-trees had already passed their flecked beauty 
and were showing the law of paternity, bearing up 
their half-grown fruit. But the clear mornings of 
June added another sound to the air which floated 
over the settlement. For two miles every way 
could be heard in the still morning, a dull croak, 
regular, but unmusical, like the rubbing of wheels and 
the creaking of machinery. 

"What is that strange noise?" asked Sarah Dick 
of her husband one morning. 

' ; That,'' said he, listening, "that is the music of 
the new still house; you must get used to that 
sound, wife. It's come to stay." 

To those who would go and gaze on the structure, 
it appeared massive and commanding for those 
times. The friction of the wheels and croak of the 



24 THE SERPENT OF 

mash apparatus that arose up into a cupola, the 
overjet roof from the comb of the front gable which 
covered the hoisting pulleys, the mill-race which 
crept down through the meadow from Sugar Creek, 
and above all, the smoke of the fire always thickly 
rising from the high chimney like the smoke of a 
torment which ascendeth forever and ever, were 
novel sounds and sights for the neighborhood. 

A yoke or two of oxen lolled around ready for 
duty and six or eight men were employed in the 
various drudgery of the premises. Two or three 
new cabins of the workmen began to cluster in the 
edge of the clearing, and the surroundings had the 
air of a far-west village just born. Among these 
tenants were Freeman Snooker and Davy Cabery, 
both having little families. 

Jimmy Barclay was the first to dispose o£ his last 
year's corn to Devore. He had kept it in view of 
this market, and he secured the same price here as 
his neighbors had got twenty miles away. When 
Jimmy would bring his loads he would go below to 
witness the operations of Snooker, who superin- 
tended the stilling process. And they two had 
many a taste of the fresh whisky so as to pronounce 
upon its grade. 

t; This," said Jimmy, "is more delicious than the 
article I get at the county seat. Snooker you are 
a capital workman." 

"Yes," replied Snooker, "by thunder, I learned 
my trade at the largest establishment on the river." 



BUGAB (KEEK COLONY. 25 

"Good," responded Jim, '"to-morrow I'll bring 
■By jog M*d take home some of this lot for my har- 
vest hands; they'll think I've hit a spring. What 
a capital thing to have this improvement at our 

doors." 

" Yes," answered Snooker, "in spite of the over 
pious meetin' folks — how I despise hypocrisy!" 

" I guess we've got most of the settlement with 
us Snooker, howsomever. Even the meetin' folks 
are pleased, 'cept three or four and they dassent 
talk too loud. There's Squire Martin says he's 
'ticlarly gratified. But, good-by, boss. I'll see you 
to-morrow. ' ' Barclay had tasted so freely and staid 
so long that it required the kindly help of Devore to 
get him seated in the bottom of his wagon. Once 
in the main road his noble horses, who drank no 
whisky, steadily walked the four miles home, while 
Barclay slept off his delirium. 



26 THE SERPENT OF 



CHAPTER VIII. 



Fresh Yeast. 



''Wife," said Squire Martin, one morning, "I 
think you could produce your bread with less diffi- 
culty if you had some yeast from the distillery." 

"That I would he glad to do," she replied, "for 
this last grist makes flabby bread. Can we get 
yeast any time there?" 

"Yes, anytime in the early morning and Devore 
has kindly invited all the settlement to send in their 
tin-cups with their children for a supply." 

' ' Clever, I declare; suppose we send Sam at once. 

"Come here, Sammy," called Squire Martin to his 
eldest boy, now twelve. "Your mother wants you 
to go, Sammy, and get her some yeast from the 
distillery. ' ' 

"Over to Devore's?" 

"Certainly, take a tin-cup and go in below at the 
side door. Snooker will fill your tin." 

"Shall I ride Charlie, father?" 

"No, no, it's only a mile, you can soon cross the 
woods by the Hazed trees." 

Sam Martin was a manly, sensible boy, ready for 



SUGAB CREEK COLONY £7 

duty at a moment's notice. Having provided a tin 
for the yeast lie was off across the cornfields, hal- 
looing at the blackbirds which were flitting about 
for a breakfast at the expense of the farmers. When 

he reached the path at the strip of woods, he spied 
Johnny Ilaler from another direction converging to 
his road. 

"Halloo. Johnny, where so early?" 

"Halloo, yourself, I'm off for yeast." 

"And I, too: As I'm alive, yonder comes cousin 
Jake Martin. Ha. ha. Snooker will think we have 
a wholesale bakery. " 

Soon Jacob joined the others. 

"Boys," said Johnny Haler, "did Snooker ever 
ask you to taste his new whisky when you went for 
yeast ?" 

"Yes siree," said Sam, "he is as clever as can be, 
says it will do no harm — a little you know — I think 
he knows — I just took a sip one day." 

"Did you like it?" asked Jake. 

u No, it burned, but Snooker says one can soon 
learn to take it." 

" Well boys," added Johnny, "if Snooker asks us 
to taste to-day, lets have a drop for fun." 

"We must take care," interposed the prudent 
Jacob; "we might get drunk like Barclay does." 

•■ Yes, pap gets drunk sometimes," added Sam, 

"but he's dreadful "fraid for me to touch whisky — 

lie does wrong, but says I must never drink." 

Just then the boys merged out of the wood near 



28 THE SERPENT OP 

their destination in time to see three Or four other 
boys and two girls starting home in another direc- 
tion with a supply of yeast, for word had gone the 
rounds that Devore was anxious to accommodate 
his friends and Snooker would kindly fill the tins. 
The three boys soon had their allowance skimmed 
off the cooking mash, and sure enough Snooker said : 

"Boys do you want to see the still and the mash 
and the whisky?" 

' 'Yes," they all replied. 

"Then this way — follow me — that is where we 
heat the ground corn — that big tub is where we 
leave it to work — that twister is the worm — when 
we heat up, the whisky begins to come out by this 
worm and drops into this tub as you see — will you 
have a taste boys ? — it's right fresh." 

So saying he scooped out a ladle full and passed 
it to the shy boys. Each took a swallow to see 
what it was like, and Johnny took a heavy swallow. 
By and. by all started on the return. In the woods 
Johnny began to show evident symptoms of intoxi- 
cation. Sam knew the symptoms from frequent 
observation on his own father. The other boys 
took care of his tin, while Johnny had the freedom 
of the forest. They were ashamed to let him reach 
home in that condition, hence they all lay down on 
the leaves where a half hour's sleep sobered the 
unfortunate boy. Thus these children of religious 
parents had been sent into temptation and one of 
them fell. 



BJJGAH CREEK COLONY. 



20 




Squire Martin at Home. 



30 THE SERPENT OF 



CHAPTER IX. 

Harvest. 

The first of July brought wheat harvest to the 
settlement. The paid hands must needs have one 
custom always complied with — a jug of whisky 
must be present and accessible in every field where 
they labored. JSTo whisky, no labor. Good men 
even yielded to the inevitable with reluctance, and 
often with remonstrance, but nevertheless the ripe 
grain must be harvested and the laborers must be 
conciliated. So Devore's whisky had quite a home 
consumption during harvest. 

It was the duty of boys in harvest to carry water and 
gather sheaves. And at the end of the shock-rows, 
when they reached the cool retreat where the water 
and the whisky were stored, many a poor boy has 
had his first temptation to drink in the fence corner 
when the men were at work in some remote spot. 
In those days of over half a century ago, the idea of 
abstinence was too radical and unpopular to be boldly 
averred. Men would be accused of restricting 
human liberty who dared to remonstrate with the 
drinker or seller. The sober only laughed at their 



si GAR CREEK COLONY. 31 

neighbors who bad an over dose: ami yet it was 
everywhere socially obligatory to care kindly for 
the intoxicated until their paroxysm had passed. 
With such a public sentiment of a via thy and the 
morbid view of certain classes that it was manly 
and independent to drink, it was to be expected that 
drunkards would be made and the youth corrupted. 
Women viewed the dangers with more gravity than 
men. Indeed a few mothers, blessed almost with 
prevision, had dark forebodings for their sons and 
anxious fears for their husbands. Soon after har- 
vest their expressions had full ventilation at a 
quilting party at Granny Martin's. This was the 
mother of Jacob and William. The old people had 
always retained Andrew, the 'Squire, upon the home 
farm as their helper in age. 

Women speak more from impulse and affection; 
men more from judgment and policy. Woman is 
generally right in her convictions, though she may 
be unable to analyze her reasons; man is often wrong 
in spite of his logical conclusions; so often does 
practice contradict theory. 

All the women in the neighboorhood were invited 
to the quilting and none were absent. Many a child 
accompanied its mother and was turned loose to 
sport on the sloping lawn that led down to the fine, 
cold spring and the brook near it. Many a young- 
Miss came tripping along to carry the baby and see 
Grandmother, and get some of the early apples from 
the old orchard. 



32 THE SEUPKNT OF 

The matrons in caps, after salutations, were as- 
signed places around the quilt. Thus while their 
hands industriously plied the needle, their tongues 
were relieved of the accumulating reflections of 
many days. 



BUGAB CREEK COLONY. 



CHAPTER X. 

The Q> lilting -Party. 

The (j[uilt had scarcely received its first stitches 
when the enterprise of Devore was brought forward. 

''Grandmother,*' said Aunt Patsy Stark, "what 
do you think of the new still-house?" 

••Think! Patsy: I've been gloomy ever since it 
began." 

•* But they say corn never was so good a price," 
interposed Mrs. Cabery. 

"Oh," added another, "I would lather live in 
poverty than get rich at such a price." 

••The thread, if you please," nodded Mrs. AYynd- 
ham. 

"Yes, indeed," put in Mrs. 'Squire Martin, whose 
husband had begun to drink publicly at the raising 
of the distillery — "yes, indeed, the prospect nearly 
kills me." 

"I learn Snooker treats all the boys and girls," 
squeaked Sally Bowser; "my Eliab can't go any 
more for yeast." 

• ; My boys have been for yeast often," explained 
Kittie Martin, "butlhave charged them never under 



o4 THE SERPEKT OF 

any circumstances to taste the whisky for Snooker; I 
think they mind, too." 

" Some day, some of us will be glad to hide in the 
grave from that still-house," solemnly added Aunty 
Barclay, looking over her spectacles and talking 
until her thread broke. 

''So I'm afeard," nodded Ann Haler. 

"I must tell you my dream the other night, and 
I'm afeard it's prophecy," ejaculated Mrs. 'Squire 
Martin with a sigh, 

''Certainly, Aunt Tilly, tell it," quickly replied 
several. 

"Well," continued she, "I dreamed of a fine 
spring of clear water in a valley. In the middle of 
the spring was a barrel of biled cider, thick and 
temptin'. I jest stepped over the water upon the 
edge of the barrel and dipped out a drink of cider 
which was very good. But quicker'n nothin' the 
cider began to bile up and run down the valley until 
it was a big river like the lava of a volcano. I had 
backed out up the hill out of its w T ay. But jest 
then I tho't of the school-house down the valley and 
looked that way. The children were scattered 
down there in awful fright. Some on 'em was 
swallowed up and drowned in the river of cider, and 
some on 'em was up the hill safe. Now T , what du 
you think of that dream ?" 

"Dear me, Aunt Tilly," replied Mrs. Barclay, 
"that, 'pears to me like prophecy — that's jest what 



SUGAR CREEK COLONY. 60 

biled cider will lead to — first rider, than whisky, 
then destruction." 

"I've often, often, tho't of that, Susan," le- 
marked Grandmother Martin. I bTieve there's lots 
of meaniu' in dreams/' They all agreed. 

"Yes, so do I/' interposed Mrs. Davis, "and I 
b'lieve that the moon tells ns jest what kind of luck 
we'll liev fur that month. If you see it over your 
right shoulder, you'll hev good luck, if you git it 
over your left, you'll hev it bad, if you git it right 
square in front, you'll hev it mixed. I've proved 
that, and so has my mother and her mother." All 
agreed with reverence to these functions of the 
moon, when old Mrs. Brock continued — ; * Yes, and 
I'll tell you another thing, I b'lieve in killin' hogs 
and plant-in' corn and garden truck when the moon 
is in the right sign, and I don't b'lieve in weanin' 
calves when the sign of the zodiac is in the chist. 
I've tried all these signs in my time. These learned 
folks laugh at us, but it can't do no harm to hev the 
sign on your side of the question." 

'•That reminds me, Hanner," remarked Sallie 
Ramscrot't,. "that reminds me of my old man's wis- 
dom once, abeut twenty years ago. He planted 
his potatoes in the light of the moon; I told him 
better, but the potatoes hain't come up yet." All 
laughed at this wit. 

" But can nothing be done with the still-house?" 
interrupted one of the women. 

"Nothing at all," answered Grandmother Martin, 



db THE SERPENT OF 

"Devore has done what the law permits and 
the sentiment of the settlement does not condemn 
him." 

Thus with little else of conversation the day was 
passed exchanging views about the still-house, and 
in all the group of noble women not one advocate of 
the distillery was found. 



BUGAB CBEEK COLONY. 37 



* CHAPTER XI. 

The Corn-Husking Party. 

"You are invited to our corn-husking next 
Tuesday night," echoed Eben Snell, across the field 
to Peter Hick who was gathering corn. 

"Will the Devore boys be there?" asked Peter in 
return. 

"To be sure," cried the other. 

"Then I'll come," replied Peter. 

It was an early custom in central Ohio during 
October and November to pull the corn in its husk, 
carry it into a vast heap near the crib and invite the 
neighborhood to join in a public corn-husking by 
night, closing all with a supper. Whisky w r as not 
unusual, and as the jug was passed from man to 
to man, it was telescoped to successive lips, and 
draughts measured only by the will or the appetite 
were imbibed "to expel the cold night air," as they 
claimed. The nearness and cheapness of Devore's 
whisky lent popularity to the custom on Sugar Creek. 
At the right season one after another would have 
the huskings until often each night of a whole week 
was appropriated. 



38 THE SERPENT OF 

Finally as a foresaid it came the turn of Isaac SneF. 
It was a bright moonlight night and a large gather- 
ing was made. It was the custom for the lads to 
carry oft* the husks, storing or stacking them for the 
winter food of cattle. The gay laugh or shout of 
the industrious circle at some wit or story relieved 
the tedium. Often the pile was divided and the 
people also, and a vigorous and exciting husking 
match would result. On this occasion, to conciliate 
the Devore crowd, two of them, David Cabery and 
Wash. Hood, were made Captains. There are cer- 
tain grades in society but each is molded, after ail, 
by the circumstances of birth and culture and those 
daily influences which, admitted into our lives, 
fashion them. So this settlement had its roughs. 
Such were these Captains. Each had taken a dram 
in advance, and soon after the husking began, the 
Captains felt the effects of their whisky. Under the 
guise of rousing their men to victory they filled the 
air with hoodlum yells and profanity. Others quieted 
them a season. Soon, however, Cabery cried out, 
"Wash., you lie," and instantly Hood, who was a 
man of physical power, struck his rival on the jaw, 
knocking out a tooth and inducing a profusiou of 
blood. Before those nearest could interpose^ 
Cabery who made up in activity what he lacked in 
size, returned the blow upon the eye of Hood, com- 
pletely closing it with swelling and pain. Then 
they were separated. " There," remarked William 
Martin, "is more of Devore' s benevolence." 



SUGAR CREEK COLONY. 39 



CHAPTER XII. 
The Log-Rolling Party. 

There is nothing to-day in the memory of the old 
settlers of Ohio that awakens so much genuine en- 
thusiasm as the scenes of the log-rolling of other 
days. The first two generations exhausted much 
of their strength in cutting down the great timber, 
laying hare the soil, tearing up the stumps, fencing 
the fields and building the fine frame or brick 
houses that stood ready for the third generation. 
Then the fight with rude nature was hand to hand, 
for no machinery aided except the wagon, the ax, 
the handspike, the spade and the plow. During 
the winter the farmer and his sons would chop down 
the great, old trees of the "deadening," burn the 
brush, maul up the rail-timber, take the saw-logs to 
the mill upon the sled and save the choice of the 
wood for home use. But the great residue of trees, 
large and small, crooked and straight, were an 
encumbrance. These were chopped off in lengths 
of twelve or fifteen feet to await the spring log- 
rolling. A "good time'' was expected on such oc- 
casions. Not only the men came from far and near 



40 THE SERPENT OF 

to do the work, but many of the women came also 
to aid in preparing a substantial and tempting din- 
ner. The day's labor of heaping up the logs of ten 
or twenty acres into convenient heaps for burning 
was a work both exhausting and severe. Of course 
most of the laborers must be "strengthened'" by 
whisky.- Sugar Creek settlement was especially in- 
clined to these customs of the log-rolling. One 
case may illustrate. 

Adam Hales and his boys had chopped a vast 
scope and invitations were out for the rolling, April 
4, 1826. At eight o'clock fifty men besides boys 
were gathered and off for the clearing. At its bor- 
der a halt was called. 

"I nominate Frank Russell and James Scorsby 
for Captains," shouted Jacob Arlancl. Several 
seconds were offered and the captains were elected. 
These in turn divided the men into two groups. 

"Now, men," proposed the ambitious Captain 
Russell, "if Scorsby agrees, I suggest that we take 
all the clearing south of those two red-oak trees, 
and the others shall have all north of the oaks. 
What say you, Scorsby?" 

"That is about fair; I agree. N:>w, I further 
propose that the winners are to be treated to-night 
at the expense of the losers." 

"Agreed," cried Russell and his men. As usual 
in such cases less than a majority voted full and 
loud, making it appear that it was unanimous. 
But the quiet majority were there for business and 



SUGAR CREEK COLONY. 41 

for, at least, moderation in drink. But courtesy to 
public opinion demanded that the brown jug be 
freely accessible upon the grounds. Champion 
lifters were generally drinkers, and a kind of mock 
heroism in notoriety was accredited for giant 
strength, because they could drink and lift inordi- 
nately. 

"Now, men," commanded Captain Frank, "swing 
around that second cut to the next — Jim, you man- 
age the skid — that's it — there; now, you men. wheel 
this but-end over that pole — now swing her on top 
— that's it — now sidle up that fork — there — now, 
men, top it out with the big limbs — there that will 
burn like tinder — now, men, to this old walnut 
next." 

Thus two or three hours swung glibly by with 
many a joke, and lift, and wiioop and halloo of the 
two companies. 

"Now, men," said Captain Frank, "we've done 
well — w T e'll beat the other crowd — let's have a 
drink." The jug soon lost half its contents. The 
quantity drunk was in very unequal proportions. 
Some, indeed a great many, drank only water from 
the well-sweep; others drank a mixture of whisky 
and water, and still others, only whisky. By noon, 
four men from one company and five from the other 
were rolling or sleeping upon the leafy spots, like 
the logs beside them. A few others w ere recklessly 
foolish from liquor, and at least two or three fights 
occurred among the intoxicated. Fighting was a 



42 THE SERPENT OF 

manly code of honor to which drinkers generally 
subscribed in their moments of oyer joyful delirium. 

" There, men,'' cried Captain Frank, as they set- 
tled the last chunk of their task, "there, we are 
victorious.'* 

"Hurrah, hurrah!*' echoed they all, and then 
Captain Russell and his men assisted Scorsby's to 
complete their part. Then after a more general 
' 'hurrah* ' the majority went straightway homeward, 
the losers paying a few cents forfeit each, to treat 
the few who claimed the wager. 

A messenger was dispatched to Devore's with a 
keg, and soon returned to the waiting group. What 
transpired from the inspiration of that keg no man 
could adequately paint. Hideous howls and fre- 
quent rights at length gave way to exhausted stupor. 
Most of the crowd reached home that night. One 
had lost an eye, another had dislocated a wrist. 
One whole day did not recover the fallen, nor did 
twenty lives, perhaps, ever obliterate the sin and 
carousals of that day and night. Thus, year after 
year, the settlement lived under the sway of Devore's 
distillery. 



BXJGAB CREEK ( OLONY. 43 



CHAPTER XIII. 



Strides of Improvement. 

Reader, the scenes and customs of the previous 
chapters were repeated over and over for eight years 
until we reach 183o. Old Grandfather Martin had 
passed away from under the roof of his son. 'Squire 
Martin, to the chapel graveyard; also Eliab and 
George Stark and many others slept in the same city 
of the dead. The Sugar Creek settlement had been 
emarginated upon every side with other settlements, 
the highways had become passable, villages were 
growing up here and there and the fine farms were 
surrounded with a degree of comfort. The Sugar 
Creek settlements, however, had grown in very 
different proportions. West of the Creek and north- 
ward was no religious society. From the distillery 
as a center emanated the only inspiration which 
grew up with the children and molded the families. 
The boys who had gone for yeast from the western 
sections eight or nine years before had become so 
familiar with the distillery that it was their chief 
resort. They could all box and fight without rivals, 



44 THE SERPENT OF 

and when they combined against another neighbor- 
hood the Devore crowd were a terror. 

True, poor old Snooker had tasted too much of 
his own poison; and so, once he reeled and fell into 
one of the hot vats of slop, head first, and when 
found some minutes afterward, he was not only 
dead but cooked and falling to pieces. True too, 
the whole neighborhood had become familiar with 
the six-horse team of Cabery, who started for the 
city market, every Monday morning, with twenty- 
five or thirty barrels of whisky. Cabery was an 
important personage. First he was the exponent of 
a six-horse power; then he was something like an 
oriental traveler of the present day who brings home 
the wonders of the East. For, did he not visit the 
city mart weekly and bear home the latest news 
which none of his neighbors could afford to do? 
And did he not carry a whip-stock and lash which se- 
cured for his team the full road from any and all 
vehicles? Then, were there not in his wagon thirty 
barrels of the superstitious alchemy which was 
loved and venerated by some and feared by others ? 

But be it said to the credit of the eastern part of 
the Sugar f Creek settlement that they had a far 
different center by the year 1833. The little frame 
Church one mile and a half east of Devore' s had 
stood and prospered in all its integrity. There were 
the Martins all around it, closly related; there were 
the Starks, a numerous tribe; and there were the 
Barclays still east of them, no less numerous. These 



BUGAR CREEK COLONY. • 45 

large groups wore closely 'related by frequent inter- 
marriages. They were often accused, perhaps justly, 

of a vast amount of clannishness and love of their 
own. But they were very good and clever people, 
hospitable neighbors, and had a reputation for 
respectability and fair dealing. They were mostly 
communicants at the frame Church and this was 
doubtless their strong fortress. Most of them lived 
in religious propriety. This arrayed them as a 
community, in direct opposition to the influences 
of the distillery. Their ideas and distrust of whis- 
ky were growing into an antagonism against Devore 
which the next generation might find potent. Of 
course, individuals over-leaped the sentiments of the 
elan and the Church and lived in full sympathy with 
the whisky-traffic. 



46 , THE SERPENT OF 



CHAPTER XIV. 



4 Sunday School Started. 

"I suggest, Brethren,*' — began Pastor Young of 
the Sugar Creek Church, one day as he arose in the 
business meeting — "I suggest that the time has 
come when we ought to start a Sunday School. 
These schools are becoming common and are deemed 
valuable where carried on." 

"A Sunday School!" quickly interrupted Brother 
Mills, "I'm afeard that is going too far — to have 
school on Sunday! — that's too much like work." 

"But then, Brother Mills," replied the Pastor, 
"has not reached a correct view. The Sunday 
School is for moral instruction. It does for the 
young people what the Church does for the old ones. 
The Bible is the only book used in it." 

"O well, then," replied Brother Mills, "if that's 
the book, and the work, let's have a Sunday 
School." 

After this discussion there was no objection fur- 
ther in official circles, yet a very few still regarded 
it as an innovation and closely related to the secular 
schools of the week. Yet prejudice yielded and it 



BUGAK i REEK COLOKY. 4» 

■eed to give it a tiial and begin the 

• 1 on the first Sabbath of May; because, as 

Bister Wyndham wisely intimated, the boysand girls 

would all have their new thin clothes by that time. 

The morning of Sabbath, .May 4th. 1833, came, 
with a blue sky, a warm sun and an atmosphere 
loaded with the sweet breath of the peach and the 
apple blossom and the garden Mowers. Nine o'clock 
found an eager group of children about the Church 
door and many parents who came early to have a 
stroll in the graveyard and to talk the news. The 
Pastor was present to inaugurate the new move- 
ment. Deacon William Martin was made first 
superintendent and from the start his name gave 
character and security to the enterprise. When 
Deacon Martin, now over fifty years of age, lent his 
sanction and talent to an enterprise, such were his 
integrity, piety and sense, that all men without 
debate would concur. 

Some of the children had brought their Spellers 
and Readers, never dreaming that any innovation 
could forestall or improve upon these venerable 
books. Pastor Young announced that the Testament 
would he the text-book for all. and that he desired 
the school classified by ages and sexes, while the 
elder men and women were to be teachers. 

Alter much chaos, the older people were drawn up 

on the front seats, the men on the right, the women 

on the left: then next behind these came the younger 

and women; then came the next in age, and >o 



48 THE SERPENT OF 

on back until the infants formed the rear line. 
This arrangement was deemed fitting because it 
graduated the honors of age. Grandmother Martin 
was made teacher of the infant class of girls, while 
Thomas Stark was given the infant boys. Deacon 
Martin lined out the hymn, 

"Before Jehovah's awful throne," etc., 
and then ' 'pitched the tune' ' to Old Hundred. Begin- 
ning with such a standard hymn was a stroke of 
policy of fortune which quieted the last vestige of 
prejudice against the Sabbath School, and the most 
fastidious regarded it as an enterprise sufficiently 
pious for a Sabbath-day. 

"And now," said Pastor Young, "let every 
teacher invite his pupils to commit from the Testa- 
ment as many verses as possible. It will be a new 
field for youthful ambition with a vast hope of 
future fruit." 

"Further," continued he, "you teachers shall all 
have special little question-books which are now in 
print and they will contain the exact answers to each 
question. So that with these new helps any person, 
well disposed and a good reader, can be the teacher 
of a class." 

Many persons regarded this Sabbath School and 
the Church as the first and most hopeful antidote 
to the influences of the distillery. 



SUGAB ( REBE COLONY. 49 



CHAPTER XV. 

The Four Corners, a Second Curse. 

"Did you hear of the new rowdyism, William ?" 
asked John ITaler of his neighbor Martin. 

"No, John, what now ?" he replied. 

"Sugar Creek is to have another curse or rather 
a branch of the old one. The Devore boys have 
agreed to establish a branch, two miles north at the 
four corners, for frolic and mischief." 

"This is to be a new growth of the still-house?" 

"Yes; the boys of that neighborhood are to spend 
their evenings at the corners out in the open air or 
rather in the woods, and some one is always to fur- 
nish whisky for the crowd." 

The spot alluded to was the crossing of two well 
know n roads. Three angles of the four had cleared 
fields, but on the fourth angle was a thick timber. 
This timber soon took notoriety as the evening ren- 
dezvous of this north end of the settlement. It was 
understood, when two or more were congregated 
at the "four corners," that some one at least would 
have a bottle of Devore' s best whisky to offer free 
to all. If the weather demanded it, a log-fire would 



50 THE SERPENT OF 

be kindled. Near the corners lived Wash. Hood who 
possessed a bass drum and invariably headed gangs 
that went near and far by night to "bell" newly 
married pairs. Hence the leader was called Captain 
Hood. About nine o'clock on the evening of a 
wedding, tire drum could be heard miles away beat- 
ing at the ' ; four cornei s. * ' After an hour of silence, 
a column, two abreast, of fifty to one hundred men 
and boys, w r ould suddenly appear before the very 
door of the wedding festivities, and as suddenly 
would announce their advent by filling the air with 
drum, fife, horns, tin-pans, bells and other sonor- 
ous bodies in every conceivable clatter. It was 
then the province of the master of the house to treat 
Captain Hood's band with what they could eat or 
drink, whisky being always the most acceptable. 
Then the band, if well used, w T ould march back to 
the comers and carouse for hours; but if slighted, 
woe to the carriage-wheels of the guests and the 
manes and tails of their horses! Mischief and 
damage wrould certainly be perpetrated. These 
rude respects of the old time may be the germ of 
the modern serenade. 

Often the "four corners" were redolent with the 
smell of roasting chickens, and somebody's hen- 
roost would be found mysteriously decimated of its 
choicest pullets. The carousals that attended these 
bacchanals may be poorly imagined. The hide- 
ous screams, screeches, howls, profanity and loud, 
prolonged huzzas emanating nightly from the 



SUGAR CREEK COLONY 51 

"four corners* 1 could but suggest some Indian war- 
dance. Then the corners became the favorite re- 
sort for Sabbath-day. Delegations would come 
over from the still-house and still others from the 
north. Plots and plans were laid to interrupt the 
church services on Sabbath-night. For when the 
"four corners" boys came in a body and sat contig- 
uously at the evening service, some perhaps intox- 
icated, there was sure to be trouble. When it was 
known that the "four corners" had a fresh fight and 
an unusual carousal, Deacon Martin would say, 
"there is more of Devore's benevolence." 

If a prosecution was made before 'Squire Martin, 
the outlaws would have the advantage; not by the 
'Squire's wish or wisdom, but by his own self-con- 
demnation as a moderate drinker they would expect 
mitigation from his self-rule of consistency. In 
spite of law, his own shortcoming made the standard 
by which he must judge others. 



52 THE SERPENT OF 



CHAPTER XVI. 

The Fo ur th of Ju ly Celeb ra Hon. 

"I move, Mr. Chairman, that this settlement 
have a Fourth of July Celebration/' So spoke 
'Squire Martin at a meeting called in June to con- 
sider this object. The motion was enthusiastically 
carried. 

"I move, sir," said Mr. Ramscroft, "that the 
chair appoint a committee to secure grounds and an 
orator and make arrangements." It was so ordered 
unanimously, and a committee was appointed. 
The committee secured the grove not far from the 
church and an orator was engaged from the county- 
seat. In 1833 there were yet many survivors of the 
battles of the Revolution who were still in their 
prime. A celebration then meant a tangible view 
of these sons of honor and a real reverence for the 
nation and its defenders. 

The season being earlier than usual, the wheat- 
harvest had all been cut, so there was a lull in the 
farm labor. The day was fine and the grove was 
soon swarming with people. The four-corner dele- 
gation came early and proved, by intense demon- 
stration, loyalty to a free country and free liquor. 



MT. Ai; ( REEK COLONY. 53 

The Devore delegation came with a keg, a canvas 

and a counter and sold liberally. The law did not 
then forbid this overt act; besides, public opinion 
would tolerate much demonstration this day under 
the garb of patriotism. Hence these rampant roughs 
were met with no hindrance. < With or without 
occasion, their cheers and huzzas became fearfully 
prominent. The orator said, "let them go on, for 
this is a high-day." "Hurrah, that's preach in," 
responded the roughs. 

"Thisisa great and free country" began the orator. 

"That's so, agin." shouted another rough. 

"The land of Washington and Jackson," contin- 
ued the orator, "is^growing from the narrow strip 
of the thirteen colonies on the coast until it encom- 
passes this great West towards the setting sun — " 

"You're right, it's a big thing," echoed another 
rough. 

"It gives pride and protection to your interests," 
resumed the orator, "in this beautiful settlement of 
farms — " 

"Yes, sir'ee, boss," cried another rough, "it gives 
us the still-house too; go on." 

Thus with the mortification and disgust of good 
citizens, after the interposition of sober friends, the 
Devore crowd was partially quieted. Finally that 
memorable Fourth was ended; but that day Devore's 
distillery overloaded its friends with responsibility 
and furnished strength to its foes. From that day 
public opinion regarded the still-house a public evil. 



54 THE SERPENT OF 



CHAPTER XVil. 

One More Victim of the Still- House. 

" O, mother, mother'' — cried out young Barclay, 
running in nearly breathless — "there's a dead man" 
down the road." * 

"A dead man! where? How do you know he's 
dead? Is any body there ? Tell me, child." 

"I'm so skeered, mother," returned the stupe- 
fied boy, "the man fell off his horse, and groaned 
and fell back, and said he was dead — it's out by the 
blackberry patch — I saw it nil — I know he's dead, 
'cause he just looked straight in the sky and didn't 
speak." 

All this time, Mrs. Barclay was hurrying the 
bread out of the oven, and seizing her bonnet, she 
called her son from the barn and several of the 
family hastened to the spot. There, sure enough, 
was a man bruised, and groaning, and dead drunk! 
They recognized him as a neighbor of two miles 
away. He was at once cared for. The whisky-flask 
which he had got filled that morning at Devore's 
had broken and cut his side in the fall. A sleep of 
five or six hours made him sensible. 



Si OAK CREEK COLON V. 0-> 

11 How did this happen, neighbor Staples,'- asked 
Mr. Barclay, when consciousness had returned. 

"Happen?" he replied, "why, I rode over to De- 
vore's this morning to sell my corn-crop. Devore 
was so delighted with my trade he treated me, as he 
always docs, as a sort of ratification, and then he 
put an extra bottle in my pocket; fool that I was, I 
drank and drank and lost my balance." 

"Sorry, Mr. Staples,*' added Barclay. 

1 'But I'm hurt, Barclay,*' said the poor man, 
"my side is very sore and my head aches terribly. 
Can you get me home?" 

"Certainly, we can try, Mr. Staples," kindly 
replied Barclay. "Jim, here; get the wagon out — 
put in plenty of straw.*' 

Staples was loaded in, but the pain of his side 
grew more and more intense, for the broken frag- 
ments of glass had lodged w r ithhi the wound. A 
physician was hastily summoned; but an inflamma- 
tion had already begun which penetrated within and 
could not be dislodged. There must have been 
internal injury. The effect became more and more 
serious, and finally, without peace, without hope, 
poor Staples died. Another sad funeral was made 
and another victim was put to rest in the church- 
yard. The community generally agreed with Wil- 
liam Martin, that this was another tally to the 
"benevolence" of Devore. 



56 THE SERPENT OF 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

The Asiatic Cholera. 

Staples' s funeral procession had just fairly got 
out of sight at the blacksmith-shop at the lower 
cross-roads, as Davy Cabery drove in sight return- 
ing from his Monday's load of whisky. A few boys 
and men at the shop saw in the agitated eye of 
Cabery that he had unusual news as he came near. 

" What is the matter now, Davy?" inquired the 
blacksmith . 

' ' Matter enough, ' ' he answered. Cholery is down 
at New Orleans and Charlton, and all over the 
South — and is coming up this way like a demon." 

"Awful !" cried several who were sure of strange 
news. 

"Yes, indeed/' he retorted, '"awful enough! 
dreadful ! the doctors say there is no remedy for 
it— some of 'em say liquor fixes it — others down in 
the city say that it is hardest on drinkin' people." 

The dread of this Asiatic Cholera in 1838 was not 
only very painful and widely prevalent, but al<o very 
superstitious. It came and raged with such un- 
heard of virulence, impetuosity and fatality that 



BUGAB CREEK COLONY. 57 

entire homes in the South were depopulated in a 
day. The negroes were especially alarm id 
scourged by it. 

When Cabery announced at the still-house that 
the Cholera was rapidly coming up the river, there 
was a consternation and a panic quite unbecoming 
true bravery, and only to be accounted for on the 
ground of guilty consciences, lives made worthless 
and selfish, living in bodies abused and rendered 
impressible to disease. For weeks, while the 
disease was raging in the country, the "four cor- 
ners" were noticed to be silent as death. People 
observed that the church was crowded fuller than 
ever, and the order of its Sabbath evenings was 
highly commendable. A wicked man is not strong 
when he meets death, but becomes a craven coward. 
Though the Cholera reached many exposed river and 
coast points and spread widely inland to cities and 
marts of thoroughfare, yet the settlement of Sugar 
Creek was spared from its dread visit. When frost 
came and the Cholera abated, very soon the disorder 
and defiance of the "four corners" and the Devore 
settlement lapsed back into their old channels, and 
whisky flowed, on private and public occasions, as 
before. 



58 THE SERPENT OF 



CHAPTER XIX. 

A New Emigrant. 

We must go back a few years to forward an im- 
portant branch of our story. While George Brown 
and his companions were crossing the Ohio at Point 
Pleasant in 1812, a young man of twenty- four, with 
his widowed mother and his brother, was crossing the 
same river from Kentucky at the then village of Cin- 
cinnati, aiming for a new r home. Adam Roberts, for 
that is what we shall call him , after two days' travel, 
reached a settlement in the interior which he inten- 
ded to join. To be brief, here he purchased lands, 
and very soon secured for a wife a worthy girl out 
of the family of a Pennsylvania settler. In process 
of years a large family was born to them. Adam 
was staunch in religion, and on temperance he was a 
radical by a full generation beyond his neighbors. 
Thinking to enlarge his estate, in 1836 he made 
good disposition of his farm and started with his 
family and movable effects to the cheaper and bet- 
ter lands of the remote interior. It became his lot 
to enter the Sugar Creek settlement and to purchase 
a newly opened farm just left vacant by the death 



BUGAB CHEEK COLONY. 59 

of its formerowner. Roberts was a strong acquisi- 
tion to the morals of the community. "For," as 
Kilty Martin remarked, "his family will wonder- 
fully till up tin- Sabbath School and the church." 

This brings our story up to 1838. Now, the first 
born of William Martin, Henry by name, was the 
most worthy young man of the region. He was 
talented, pious and congenial. It furthermore hap- 
pened that among the elder children of Adam 
Roberts, Cornelia was a young lady of great beauty 
and accomplishments. Now as William and Adam, 
the parents, opened their acquaintance with a social 
and religious congeniality and fervency which 
never abated but became as strong as the love be- 
tween Jonathan and David, so it was whispered by 
the time the new comers had lived six months in 
the settlement, that young Henry and Cornelia 
were very partial to each other. Indeed, at the end 
of another six months this rumor w T as confirmed by 
the sequel, for a long line of most respected citizens 
could be seen on horseback escorting Henry Martin 
to the home of Adam Roberts to witness his mar- 
riage to the beautiful Cornelia. There she was, as 
pure as a white rose, or the lily on the breast of a 
clear lake, while he came, noble, manly and bearing 
to her all his affections. The day smiled. ' Fragrant 
flowers exhaled from every corner. And "in the 
presence of God and these witnesses" the two were 
duly made one. After due congratulations the full 
repast was ready. As all began the feast William 



60 THE SERPENT OF 

Martin arose and gravely said: — "By mutual 
agreement of Brother Roberts and myself, it be- 
comes my province to make an announcement which 
may seem strange to some of our guests. We two 
have solemnly agreed together that we will here- 
after forever have no intoxicants about our homes 
or premises for any occasion whatever. Instead, 
we desire to feed our friends and guests with the 
wholesome, unadulterated food and drink which 
God gives and our families can prepare." 

This announcement was received with much hearty 
approbation from the guests. 

"Yes," added Aclam Roberts, "we have finally 
resolved to honor the union of the first born of our 
two circles with an example of temperance and 
sobriety. ' ? 

And again the guests greeted the remarks with a 
buzz of approbation. 

Thus in the Sugar Creek settlement the backbone 
was broken forever, of a corrupt custom, which here- 
tofore had demanded whisky or wine on all marriage 
occasions. 



SVGA It CKKEK COLON Y 01 



CHAPTER XX. 



Radicalism in Temperance. 

l\ot long after the above wedding, wheat-harvest 
came on. The dozen or more men and boys consti- 
tuting' the four families of William, 'Squire Andrew, 
and Harvey Martin and of Adam Roberts combined 
their forces, as their custom was, in the harvest 
season, each day cutting the ripest wheat on the 
four farms until all was harvested. Here was to 
be the test of that solemn coalition made by William 
Martin and Adam Roberts, that, come what might, 
they would not furnish liquor on their premises on 
either public or private occasions. 

'Squire Martin warned them that their wheat 
would go uncut; "for," said he, "men will not work 
without their bitters. They expect them and will 
rebel." 

"Our own families, " replied William, ' 'will surely 
be obedient; indeed it will be pleasing to them to be 
rid of the jug; the few hired men, if they rebel, may 
be replaced by better ones." 



62 THE SERPENT OF 

"And besides," interposed Roberts, "it is our 
duty to lead in this reform. Let us do right at all 
hazards." 

"Very well," replied the 'Squire, deliberately, 
"you may try the experiment, if you wish to ven- 
ture, but I shall treat my men and bring the jug to 
my field." 

The first three days the company labored very 
contentedly, on the farm of William, without the 
slightest sign of the cautioned mutiny. The fourth 
day they met at 'Squire Andrew's. Whisky was 
brought out with the water, but it was observed to 
the amazement of all that no one touched the whis- 
ky. Had a tacit wave of reformation taken root 
from the abstinence of the previous three days ? 

The boys followed the men, gathering the sheaves 
for shocking. This duty of gathering sheaves 
devolved upon Spencer Martin, the 'Squire's son, 
his cousin Bradley, Harvey's son, and Jo. Roberts. 

What fun these boys enjoyed, especially at the 
end of the rows! No one can write it. Yet how 
weary the trudging made their feet and their arms! 

" Look there, Spencer, at that quail's nest," cried 
out Bradley. ' "My ! there are three, six, nine, twelve, 
fifteen, eighteen, nineteen eggs! — there goes the old 
quail." 

They all looked and talked over the trophy. 

"Boys, let's save up all the eggs we can find," 
suggested Spencer. "I saw a nest heapin' full this 
morning, over here." 



SUGAR CREEK COLONY. 63 

M Won't the old quails want them?" humanely 
remarked Jo. 

"Who cares (or the old quails!" retorted Spencer, 
as a superior being. 

They soon finished the row, reaching the west 
fence where the water and whisky were stored in the 
shade. 

' 'Now, boys," said Jo., tumbling down by the 
water, let's have a drink." 

"'Nough said," chimed in the others, and each 
took a draught of cool water. Just then Spencer, 
who was the oldest, spied the jug and meditated 
some fun. 

"Now, boys," said he, ''let's have a dram like the 
men." 

1 ' Not I, ' ' quickly spoke Jo. 

' ' Not you?' ' retorted the other, ' 'you are a covrard ; 
I dare you to drink." 

"I won't drink," persisted Jo. 

"Well, we will, won't we, Bradley?" appealed 
Spencer. "It's sort o' manly." 

Bradley, appealed to in this manner, responded, 
contrary to his ideas of right, to vindicate himself 
in the challenge of manliness, "Yes, I'll drink; 
pour her out." 

Spencer was deceitful and cunning enough in his 
artiiice. for he never intended drinking himself, but 
made a pretense of taking a swallow to decoy the 
other. He thought it would be a rich trick to make 
the younger boys drunk. The device was successful 



64 THE SERPENT OF 

in the case of Bradley. The poison soon took 
effect; Bradley's stomach became deathly sick, his 
head reeled, and though but eight years of age, he 
fell to the ground in a paroxysm of drunkenness. 
The entire company soon reached that part of the 
field, and the whole story manifested itself. Spencer 
got a whipping from his father. But a conviction 
seized the 'Squire that he himself merited a chas- 
tisement instead of his son, on account of bad 
influence and example. 



BUGAB CHEEK COLONY Go 



CHAPTER XXL 



A Great Wonder, A Railroad. 

" Gentlemen, there is a rumor afloat that a new 
railroad is contemplated np the river." So said 
'Squire Martin upon his arrival at a log-rolling, as 
there was a lull to hear him. 

"And what is a railroad ?" asked several. 

"Why, of course," pertly interposed Snell, "it's 
a corduroy road, like the one over Ramscroft's big 
swamp." 

The analogy of the two names made Snell's pun 
seem pert, and many laughed. 

"A railroad," continued 'Squire Martin, "is an 
improved kind of road graded level at great expense, 
having hewn timbers at intervals of every yard or less, 
upon which rest two sleepers, laid on lengthwise of 
the whole road, and upon these are spiked a con- 
tinuous flat iron bar or rail; on this they run cars or 
wagons by steam, several hitched into a train." 

Xow, 'Squire Martin was well informed for a 
countryman. Xow and then he sent with Cabery 
for a Cincinnati paper, and read up the nearest local 



66 THE SERPENT OF 

paper with avidity. He had been a moderate 
drinker all these years, bordering npon the immod- 
erate. A certain family respect, official honor and 
clannish fear tended to hinder him from the extremes 
of drunkenness. The community regarded him as 
their wisest man in law but not the safest and best 
in morals. 

Hence when the 'Squire explained the new rail- 
road, how the iron horse filled the air with its 
whistling noise, with voices varying from a cow to 
a panther, how it was proposed to travel at least 
ten miles an hour! how much power there was in 
this locomotive and that it could draw from four to 
seven wagons on the track at once, the younger and 
more ignorant were awe-struck and wondered if the 
world was not to end soon. 

" I see the stars fall in 1833," said old Cabery, 
very wisely, "and I'm afeard seen a thing as that 
new-fangled road would just overturn the world." 
The intelligent part of the company had read of the 
invention of railroads, and a few had even heard of 
the rumor of one about to be built in Ohio. But the 
revelation of 'Squire Martin that possibly one might 
soon be completed so near to them created a demon- 
stration of amazement. 

' ' Sech a big noise, and ten miles an hour, will 
skeer all our hosses and cows and sheep, and maybe 
the hogs, to death," astutely suggested Coyner. 
The danger at once appeared upon the minds of all 
with due force. 



SUGAR CREEK COLONY. 67 

"Yes," groaned Harvey, as he made a desperate 
lift at a log, "that thing '11 be unpoplar among 
farmers. I'll bet the country won't let it come 
through — up with that spike, Billy." 

After various remarks, some witty, some croak- 
ing, some originally wise, 'Squire Martin added: — 
1 'Mark my words, men, the railroad is a mighty 
grand invention; it will make this country yet, and 
no telling how fast or how far they may build; you 
young men will see it in your day; maybe I will, 
maybe not." 

At this point the men took a rest, and out of 
respect for these prophetical words of the 'Squire 
he was first offered the jug. 

When it came the turn of Cabery, he took a deep 
drink and with a sigh added, "But 'Squire, here's 
the mighty point with me, when a railroad comes, 
what will I do with my six bosses and my wagon; 
what use will there be for any of the hosses of the 
country?" 

By evening, several of the men, having imbibed 
too freely of Devore's poison, were unconcerned 
whether a railroad was built or not. Being engros- 
sed wholly in the effect of their potations, the world 
seemed to them to be spinning around an axis which 
passed through their heads. 



68 THE SERPENT OF 



CHAPTER XXII. 

Flying Years. 

Reader, we pass a few years in silence. How the 
great West had improved by the year 1843! A 
stranger would scarcely have realized that Sugar 
Creek settlement was only thirty years from the 
wilderness. The great farms had enlarged by the con- 
stant cutting and clearing of the forests, so that one 
plantation opened upon another and sometimes 
brought into view one or two miles. The cabins of 
early days had been replaced by nea,t frame dwel- 
lings usually painted. Spacious barns had sprung 
up near each farm house. Along the creek were 
frequent saw mills driving a brisk local trade in the 
manufacture of lumber. Door-yards had bloomed 
into neat pretty grass-plots, with shade trees distrib- 
uted. One part of the garden had risen up from 
mere utility to ornament, being embellished with 
tasteful beds of flowers. The roads were vastly 
improved, and in some places turnpikes, constructed 
from the gravel of the creek or some bank, made 
the going solid and delightful. 



SI G All CREEK COLONY. G9 

The churchyards had also fearfully grown. The 
aged and the young had fallen, and a few white 

Blahs of marble or sandstone were planted inmeroo- 
riam. Kind hands likewise trained many a shrub 
and choice dowers as a tribute of love over the 
graves. The boys and girls of 1825 had become the 
pillars of society, while the middle-aged of that 
date had now made fearful strides in greyness and 
infirmity. The school-houses were enlarged and 
improved and filled with a new genera: ion. 

Up and down the neighboring rivers in the adja- 
cent counties the villages had become pretentious 
little towns, some of them assuming the air of cities. 

The old still-house began to be regarded by most 
people as a scab of disgrace upon the civilization of 
Sugar Creek. 



70 THE SEKPENT OF 



CHAPTER XXIII. 



Home Affected by the Still-House. 

"Mother, may I go home with Einma King from 
school to night? the girls all visit each other, ■ ' a^ked 
Nellie Moore, one day in March. 

"I will see about it when your father comes," was 
the reply. 

Down Sugar- Creek south of the original settle- 
ment, on a beautiful valley farm, lived Judge Moore, 
serving his state as the Ohio laws provided in those 
days. The Judge was scrupulously pure in politics 
and upright in religion. There was a thrift and 
plentif ulness about his home that made rare attrac- 
tions to his own family and to all others who 
enjoyed his hospitality. His temperance principles 
were a generation in advance of the age. His seven 
year old little daughter Nellie was a very sweet 
conscientious child, a favorite at the public school 
which she was attending. In the common school 
those of the same age and classes are by necessity 
playmates, without much regard to dress or circum- 
stances. Who of those days does not remember the 



BUGAB CHEEK COLONY. 71 

maniaofpupils for exchanging visits over night, going 
from school, dining the following day from the basket 

of the new host and reaching home after an absence 
of two days and one night? And by the etiquette 
of the custom such visits must be returned at least 
by the following week. 

Emma King had spent a night with Nellie Moore 
and the latter had made the request as stated above 
to return the visit. The Kings, living on the ex- 
treme borders of the district in an opposite direction, 
were of late, strangers to Mrs. Moore, though she 
remembered the girlhood of Mrs. King as one of 
purity and amiability. It was well known that 
King was an inebriate. So Mrs. Moore sought 
information of her husband. 

"Mr. Moore," said she, "Nellie is asking to go 
home with Emma King for a night's visit — Is it a 
proper direction for her?'' 

"The family is very poor of late and very lowly," 
replied the Judge; "their straitened circumstances 
are the result of King's drunkenness; but, perhaps 
if you let Nellie go, she may learn a lesson she can 
never forget." 

Accordingly Nellie was granted permission to 
accompany Emma, and after her good-by kiss, was 
off to school in great cheer. 

•T'm going home with you, Emma," she said, 
upon saluting the latter. 

"I'm so glad," replied the other. 

The long day ended, school closed and the two 



72 THE SEKPENT OF 

girls were soon tripping down the road, the opposite 
direction from Nel lie's to Emma's home. The timid 
Nellie at last thought it a very long journey, and 
that too, directly away from home. She became 
uneasy and when they reached the bayou of the 
flooded creek which was to be crossed on a log:, 
Nellie's heart failed and she cried at the prospect. 

"I can't cross the log," she sobbed, 'Til fall in." 

"But I'll lead you over by the hand," tenderly 
said Emma. 

"No, no, I'm afraid you'll fall too," replied she. 

After Emma had coaxingly and assuringly walked 
the log two or three times, and the parley must end, 
Nellie was advised to straddle the log and slip 
forward to the other side. This method she under- 
took and by slipping, inch by inch, finally she 
gained the opposite side. But her fear was height- 
ened into something like dismay when she saw 
the path was to turn down along a low sand bar and 
that the home of Emma was on the very edge of this 
sand, with a full creek roaring by nearly up to the 
door. Nellie saw the home was quite unlike her 
own. It was a mere hovel, consisting of two rude 
cabins or j^ns built of round poles. From one of 
the huts a cat and clay fireplace opened into a 
chimney of sticks and mud which reached about 
half the altitude of the hut. Emma brought Nellie 
by the hand into this as the principal hut. At the 
opening was a ragged, thin,- weary-looking woman. 
Nellie had never before seen any one looking so 



SUGAR CREEK COLONY. 73 

sad. This was Emma's mother. When she spoke 
to Nellie there was a sweetness and a smile in her 
manner. 

Within the hut Nellie saw two broken chairs, a 
small table made of boards, the legs made of sticks 
and set in by an auger, a pole bedstead with a tick 
of straw, an improvised shelf with a few blue plates 
and cups, and underneath a skillet, a tea-kettle and 
a small oven. A little handful of sticks was burn- 
ing in the fireplace. Nellie, who had been abroad 
only to homes of like affluence with her own, had 
never dreamed of such poverty any where. The 
revelation was appalling. She was not only uncom- 
fortable but longed for home with a childlike yearn- 
ing. She noticed that the sad mother uttered but 
few words, yet these were very kind words, and 
scarcely ever changed her countenance except 
in faint attempts to welcome her visitor. 



THE SERPENT OF 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



"Devore's Benevolence." 

As twilight began, Mrs. King went to a crock in 
one corner of the hut, cut off a few small rinds of 
pork, set the skillet on the coals and fried the 
meager bits. Then she set them in a plate on the 
uncovered plank table, added some bits of corn 
bread, made a little sassafras tea in a large tin and 
set the children to eating. It was a frugal meal 
without butter or sugar. Nellie observed the poor 
mother would often look out at the door and up the 
creek as if expecting some one. No father had yet 
appeared and Nellie readily guessed that the woman 
was expecting her husband. 

Dark came, a candle was lit, and presently the 
muttering, swearing shadow of a very ragged, un- 
shaven man appeared in the doorway. The mother 
and children made a little stir, the man staggered, 
uttered some horrid imprecation at his wife and 
then more fell than walked into the cabin. The 
poor woman seemed to beckon Nellie and her own 
children to the opposite side of the table as if she 



BUGAB ( BSBS COLONY. 75 

feared some violence aponthem, esp< cially if the man 

should get an eye on the young visitor. The man 
1 Btaggered over to the fireplace. His wife taking the 
candle hustled before her all the children out of the 
door and so along on the boai ds to an outside door of 
the other cabin, for they did not communicate 
directly. Here was just room for another straw bed 
and on some pegs in the wall hung a few old gar- 
ments. The children were all tucked in this bed, 
the old clothes were placed over them for a covering, 
no good-night words of prayers were uttered, and 
the woman left them in silent darkness. 

The fears and feelings of Nellie were intolerable. 
She knew not that this man was drunk, for she had 
never before seen a drunken man and had no con- 
ception of what drunkenness was. She feared the 
man might do them violence. She was painfully 
terrified lest the swollen creek might sweep the 
cabin away in the night. She dreaded the morning 
and most of all she knew the log at the bayou must 
be crossed. So she literally cried herself to sleep. 

When the morning light shone clearly through 
the chinks of the walls and the roof, the children 
arose. The father had gone away. The breakfast 
was an exact duplicate of the night's supper. When 
all were started to school, Nellie experienced some 
relief from her constant terror. The bayou and 
log were soon reached, and by a similar movement 
to that of the previous evening, she reached the 
home side. 



70 THE SEEPENT OP 

When that day's school was over and Nellie 
reached home, she was the happiest girl in the 
neighborhood. 

"Did you have a pleasant visit, Nellie?" inquired 
her mother. 

"Not very; I don't want to go away from home 
any more, mother," she replied. Then she told her 
father and mother of all her child-troubles, the log, 
the flush creek, the little cabins, the scant meals, the 
dreadful man and the sad woman. 

"That man, King," said Judge Moore to his wife, 
"is a victim of Devore's liquor. He is one of De- 
vore's hands and his v T ages are drank up. All the 
cases in the county court from this region grow 
out of Devore's whisky." 



si i. \K CREEK COLON V. 77 



CHAPTER XXV. 

A Great Temperance Revival. 

"Hear of the temperance lecture, Adam?" in- 
quired William Martin of his bosom friend Roberts. 

4 'No, William, where, when, who?" inquired 
Adam. 

''The eloquent Porter, the great temperance 
Apostle, who has spoken in much of the West in 
the interest of the Washingtonian movement, is to 
speak on Tuesday evening at the Sugar Creek 
Church," said William. 

" I hail that as a god-send in the name of a needed 
reform," replied Adam. "But the idea of a public 
effort on this subject is so novel and unheard of 
in these days, that it will not be strange if the 
church is packed. Bat can we get out 'Squire 
Andrew?" 

"Yes," returned William, "there is some strange 
and deep and solemn reflections in Andrew's mind 
of late; I have some hope of his reformation. 

"Thank God," added Adam. "But do you 
expect the whisky element to come?" 



78 THE SERPENT OF 

"No doubt," replied the other. "The Devore 
and four corner neighbors will come over just to see 
who dare utter a word about their 'rights, ' aud we 
may apprehend trouble." 

True to the appointment the church was packed; 
everybody was there; the friends of alcohol came. 
Porter made a telling address, full of argument and 
anecdote. He appealed to consistency, to humanity, 
to the obligations towards society and to the sacred 
duties which we owe to family. 

The Washingtonian idea was mild, and was 
wholly presented by moial suasion. The pledge 
read; — "We, the undersigned, pledge ourselves to 
abstain from drinking intoxicating liquors as a 
beverage." This was the crude primal step which 
could not offend the most hostile nor cause despair 
to the most fallen. Porter reached his peroration 
in stirring appeals, and pleaded with every man, 
woman and child to come forward and sign the 
pledge. 

As the speaker finished and there followed an 
instant of awful suspense, 'Squire Martin deliber- 
ately arose to the astonishment of nearly every one, 
walked solemnly forward through the audience, and 
taking the pen in hand clearly made the following 
announcement to all: — "By the help of God, I'll 
never drink another drop of alcohol — so help me 
God!" Then he inclined over the table and wrote 
his name. The effect cannot be portrayed. His 
brothers William and Henry sobbed out like babies 



SUoau CREEK colony. 79 

and shook as leaves with emotion. At least a 
hundred others were 1 dropping tears of sympathy 
and excitement. It seemed like breaking the back- 
bone of some vast, relentless monster. The feeling 
was too deep for spoken aniens. One by one names 
were written until half that audience pledged them- 
selves. Such a triumph of righteousness had never 
before spread over Sugar Creek settlement. 



80 THE SERPENT OF 



CHAPTER XXVI. 

A Little Crusading. 

"Now," added the speaker, "others, present and 
absent, will desire to sign the pledge after further 
reflection — we will furnish them the opportunity — 
let there be a committee of men and women appoin- 
ted who will canvass the neighborhood — I will sup- 
ply them with pledges to circulate." 

Ten or twelve active persons were at once appointed 
and small printed duplicates of the pledge were 
furnished each, to continue through the neighbor- 
hood. Many a boy and girl subscribed these 
pledges who became, in later life, earnest workers 
for temperance and humanity. 

Lizzie, a daughter of Adam Roberts, a pious 
young lady, among others, was placed upon this 
committee. She began her work at home; and 
though religion and temperance had already pro- 
duced a peaceful and happy home, yet she presented 
the pledge to all its members. Each subscribed 
from the oldest down to the youngest, Jo. He was 
now eight years old, and the question in Lizzie's 



BtJGAR CREEK COLONY. 81 

mind was whether he was old enough to sign the 

paper intelligently. So she determined to se^k 
advice. 

"Mother," said she, "Jo. is very young to 
Bign the pledge — had I better ask him to do so?" 

"Certainly ask him," replied her mother, ''for I 
dedicated him to God eight years ago." This 
caused Lizzie's decision. 

A half hour later, when Jo. came in from an 
errand, she approached him and said: "Jo., don't 
you want to sign the temperance pledge and grow 
up to be a good man?" 

"Why, yes, certainly," he replied, "I'd like to; 
you may set down my name." 

"No, Jo." she demurred, "that would not be 
your signing it." 

"But then, I can't w T rite well enough," he re- 
joined. 

"Xu matter," she suggested, "I'll hold your 
hand and help you form the letters; then that will 
be your signature." 

"All right," nodded the boy. So his first pen- 
manship was executed in the sacred pledge of tem- 
perance. 

Jo. was a deeply conscientious boy and meant to 
be earnest. He had withstood his first temptations 
to the cup from the hands of Spencer Martin in the 
'Squire's harvest held the previous summer. Indeed 
he was raised to have a horror of liquor and a fear 
of drunkards. 



82 • THE SERPENT OF 

Next clay at school, when the noon hour came 
and the tempeiance meeting was canvassed, one boy 
after another, with that false idea of bravado which 
attaches to a crowd, declared: 'Til not sign that old 
pledge." 

" I'll do as I please and drink what I love," boast* 
fully expressed Mat. Barclay. 

When by some means, it became known that 
little Jo. Roberts had signed the pledge, the school 
boys alternately laughed and mocked the boy for 
his silliness. 

'Archie Fleming tauntingly remarked, "you was 
afeard you'd git drunk, Jo., was you — you's a 
goose." 

Jo. was annoyed to be so publicly singled out, but 
felt conscious of having done right. Thus he pas- 
sed the second temptation. 



BUGAR CRBEK COLONY. 83 



CHAPTER XXVII. 



Repentance at Last. 



Again we must bridge over the stream of years 
and reach forward to the very middle of the 
century. By the year 1850, the Sugar Creek 
church had grown strong in its membership. 
There were the Martins, the Staiks, many of the 
Barclays, the Robertses and a host of others; its 
Sabbath-school was highly prosperous; and in the 
unity and consistency of most of its members, it 
never wavered in its holy mission of furnishing a 
fold and food for the flock of God. Its Christian 
platform was impregnable and was far too exalted 
to be hindered by the four corners or the distillery. 
Christ had said of his church, '*The gates of hell 
shall not prevail against it." The four corners and 
distillery had drifted away gradually, forming their 
own society and world into a widely distinct social 
life from Sugar Creek Church. It was a m rai 
battle and all joined the one side or the other. De- 
vore and the corners meant whisky, profanity and a 



84 THE SEKPEKT OF 

life of carousal. The Sugar Creek Church group 
meant moi ality, temperance and the Sabbath-school. 
Each year drew the lines more distinctly. Some 
were oonnrmed, fatally and finally, with the party 
of intemperance; but public opinion, going with the 
majority and the age was merging into clearer views 
on the question of temperance. Its open advocates 
became numerous and their reasons were unanswer- 
able. The ministry had new messages never 
preached nor even dreamed of before. 

Poor old 'Squire Martin mourned over a lost life. 
He held a long earnest interview with his brother 
William and Adam Roberts, and this w T as the burden 
of his heart as set forth in that conversation: — "I 
may well mourn over my past — nearly sixty years 
have gone — I am an infirm old man — I have drank 
up the earnings of my prime — and now, as our dear 
old mother is gone, the very homestead which has 
been my home by tolerance will revert to the heirs, 
then I will be homeless. I could stand all this 
personally and afford to be poor for my folly, but alas ! 
how can I stand the curse, that my boys have grown 
up without confidence in my manhood and my 
morality! My influence has been fatal on my chil- 
dren — they show signs of recklessness, which is the 
penalty for my former crimes and the neglect of 
their moral instruction. I fear the future of my 
children. I am assured by good medical authority 
that an appetite for drink will be transmitted to 
offspring. Before heaven, I have ruined my family, 



QAH CUFKK COLONY. 85 

dishonored my God and wasted my life'/' 

The strong, aged men who heard all this, wept 
tears of deepest sympathy. 

Such was the complaint of a man against him- 
self, who had boon the apology for moderate drink- 
ing for forty years. 

After very mature reflection and much prayer and 
repentance the 'Squire reached another era in pro- 
gress and astonished the assembled neighborhood 
even more than when he took the pledge. 

It was the Sabbath. The sermon pointed men to 
the Lamb of God. At an opportune moment in the 
closing services 'Squire Martin rose up in his place, 
as if all that sermon were addressed personally to 
him, and said publicly: — "If this church will accept 
me as a feeble member, by the help of God and 
your sympathy I will try to live a prayerful life and 
go with you to heaven." 

The big tears freely flowed that day. Deacon 
William Martin and his brother Harvey said, it was 
the happiest day of their lives; Adam Roberts said 
he did not expect to witness a clearer triumph this 
side the Golden Gate; and the brethren and sisters 
grasped the 'Squire's hand with a fervor that 
springs from the communion of saints. For now 
they all hoped to see their kindred and neighbor 
beyond the river, among the holy immortals. 



86 THE SERPENT OF 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 

Still Another Victim. 

"Who is hurt, did you say?" So inquired Jo. 
Roberts, standing at his father's door as Nathan 
Stark galloped by and excitedly hallooed about 
some one being dangerously hurt. ' ' Who did you 
say was hurt ? " repeated Jo. 

"Old Jimmy Barclay — fell from his horse just 
fernenst Haler's house — nearly killed hisself." 

At this exciting news, Jo., who was now about 
fifteen, drew on his coat and hat, and ran over to 
the scene. Haler's house was about sixty rods dis- 
tant, where this highway terminated in the great 
east and west thoroughfare. There, sure enough, 
was James Barclay at the roadside, prostrate, 
groaning with pain and swearing at his luck. Two 
or three men, besides Mrs. Haler and the children, 
were standing around or hurrying to and fro in at- 
tempts to assist the injured man. It was evident 
Barclay was completely intoxicated and had in that 
state, fallen from his horse. No one could tell the 
extent of his injuries, nor, indeed, understand what 



SUGAR CREEK COLONY. 87 

remedies to administer, until Stark should return 
with a physician from the nearest village. 

Barclay had been one of the prime advisers of 
Devore a quarter of a century before in reference 
to the erection of the distillery. Here he had sold 
the first bushel of corn that had been made into 
whisky. He had ever been an ardent supporter 
and patron of the distillery. And, worse than all, 
he gradually drank more and more of Devore's 
whisky until violated nature had often rebelled with 
the threat of delirium tremens. He had seen the 
death of Staples many years before who was in- 
jured by a fall, when intoxicated, at his own door. 
The event had caused to him a temporary check, 
but he soon lapsed back into his old habits. 

On the morning of this accident, Barclay had rid- 
den over to Devore's, sold his abundant crop of 
corn, drank abundantly at the distillery, and bore 
away a large supply which was found in a flask in 
his pocket. Before he was half way home the 
effect, as aforesaid, had brought him to the ground. 



88 THE SERPENT OP 



CHAPTER XXIX. 

Delirium Tremens. 

After much delay, the physician arrived and in- 
stituted a critical examination. He stated that 
there was a high nervous excitement produced from 
the shock of the fall, and that this, with the symp- 
toms of delirium tremens made his condition serious. 
The man was borne into Haler's house and comfort- 
ably provided for. Barclay's wife and son, who had 
been notified, came full of shame and despair. Yet 
they supposed it merely another of his frequent 
sprees of late. Several days elapsed but no change 
for the better was discovered. Poor old Barclay 
was constantly raving and wild in his profanity, 
and evidently unconscious, the nervous system being 
very much aggravated by the delirium. He had 
probably reached a crisis of his career. 

Sometimes his utterances were very violent. 

"Out with that snake — there it is— take me out 
of this tire — take me out — oh, oh, — don't you see 
that devil? — there, there he comes — save me — 
there's another snake — I feel hell under me." 



SUGAR CREEK COLONY. 89 

Thus he would rave tor hours. Six days had 

ed; the patient meantime grew worse. Many 

neighbors gathered that night to sympathize and 

do, if possible, some kindness for him, but the poor 
old man. without slumbers or even quiet, in constant 
nervous tension, continued to curse and rave. His 
eyes had become fearfully glaring and glassy, his 
forehead was white and clammy, his lips were never 
still. Reader, this is a true scene. Would to God 
it had never been necessary in the penalty of sin ! 

His imprecations against God were awful and he 
persisted in his convictions that his extremities 
were already in hell. His previous life and his now 
terror-stricken soul made these, his last utterances, 
seem quite real. Thus, with a ghastly stare into 
the unknown, and a countenance in harmony with the 
presence and image of grim devils, James Barclay's 
soul went into the eternal world. 

Xeighbors assisted to prepare him for the funeral 
rites and clothe him for his coffin. Young Roberts, 
who aided in these humane duties, could never for- 
get the scene. But the awful sadness of that fune- 
ral occasion can never be told. 



90 THE SERPENT OF 



CHAPTER XXX. 



Devoirs Confession. 



For three or four years David Devore had some 
secret misgivings as to his responsibility in causing 
the death and misery of his neighbors, but he kept' 
these reflections to himself, and went on. 1854 
found him an old man, having passed the milestone 
of sixty years and feeling the winter of infirmity 
creeping over him. The distillery had furnished 
him subsistence but not wealth. He had helped 
scores to premature graves and had brought poverty 
and disgrace to hundreds more, yet his agency in 
these results was so indirect and semi-unconscious, 
that his heart never confessed any immediate pangs 
of remorse. Perhaps he was hardened by his own 
obduracy and left to perish. 

Yet the old still-house began to appear dilapidated 
and seemed a scab upon the progress of the region. 
Devore' s own home was isolated from good society 
because of its proximity to a still-house, which pub- 



SUGAR CREEK COLONY. 01 

lie opinion was coming to regard as a disgrace. 
He began to loathe his own surroundings. 

"I have a thought,' 3 remarked Devore once, up- 
on meeting William Martin. "I have a thought," 

-lemnly repeated. 

"Indeed! what new thought now?" responded 
Martin. 

"Do you remember, William," he continued 
"thirty years ago the cow-hunt you had on Sugar 
Creek?" 

"Oh ! that day I found you marking out the foun- 
dation for your distillery? '" 

"Yes, that was the very day. Do you remem- 
ber your caution and warning at my enterprise*? " 

"Yes. I do remember as if it were yesterday." 

"Well, neighbor Mai tin, the distillery has not 
made me rich, it has not made me honorable, but it 
has made me many enemies and a life of constant 
care. I wish it were gone and its memory obliter- 
ated." 

" Too true, David. You utter sad truth." 

"But I have a thought, William. I propose to 
stop the business finally, tear down the building, 
and, if possible, try to forget the past." 

•'Those are good thoughts, friend, and I would 
that you could realize them, but then the past lias 
gone into history. The actions and influences of 
my life and yours are imperishable, as I understand 
it. I am heartily glad, however, that you propose 
to stop the business, and take down the buildings 



92 THE SERPEKT OF 

By the by, David, there will be a temperance talk 
at the church next Tuesday night. Come, if you 
can." 

1 ' Ah ! Who is there to speak ? ' ' 

"Our neighbor Roberts's son, Jo." 

''Indeed? He is but a stripling ; will he be able 
to bring out the light ? " 

"Yes, he is about of age and does a little public 
speaking. His neighbors desired the novelty of 
hearing him." 

" If possible I will come, William. Good day." 

"Good day, Mr. Devore." 




THE OLD STILL-HOUSE IN RUINS. 



BUG AH CREEK COLONY. 03 



CHAPTER XXXI. 



Jo. Roberts's Temperance Speech. 



It had been announced in Sugar Creek Church 
that young Jo. Roberts, now on a vacation from 
school, would make a temperance talk to his old 
neighbors. It was so recently that Jo. had been 
holding the plow, wielding the cradle and occasion- 
ally fishing for sunfish in Sugar Creek, that all 
were on the alert at the novel adventure of a lec- 
ture from him. For, as Frank Stark had said, 
twelve years before, " Jo. had the most brilliant 
success in the primary school in his studies, of any 
one he ever met who presented so little promise in 
the appearance of his head." 

"Did you know, sister Bennington," said Miss 
Barnes as they walked home from that Sabbath ser- 
vice, "did you know that Jo. Roberts is a very ac- 
ceptable visitor at Judge Moore's?" 

"Dew tell!" exclaimed the old lady, "to see 
Nellie?" 

"Yes; the accomplished Nellie is the great at- 



94 THE SERPENT OF 

traction, and they say it'll be a handsome match." 

"I vow 'twill," remarked sister Bennington, 
"there's not a smarter nor handsomer girrel up 
and down the creek than that same Nellie Moore." 

" That is so, sister, and they say she is as good as 
she is handsome." 

"Well, well, so Jo. goes there. That is sort o' 
queer, but then he's purtygood tew, and the match 
will be about square — but I'm bound to hear the 
young man git off his lectur' anyhow," said Mrs. 
Bennington, as she turned in where the roads sep- 
arated them. 

The house was well filled on Tuesday evening, 
and Joseph Roberts made a sensible discussion of 
the temperance question for a young man. His 
friends expressed great satisfaction. Young Wil- 
liam Martin whispered to him tha.t "he was a credit 
to the neighborhood, and bade him godspeed." 

Devore, who had come in upon the back seat, re- 
marked to some one that "the boy told the truth 
well, but my Sabin would not be such a moralist as 
that." 



SUGAR CREEK COLONY. 95 



CHAPTER XXXII. 

Planting a Whisky Village, 

This brings our story to 1855. A quarter of a 
century ago central Ohio had railroads girting every 
important valley, and noble turnpikes took the 
place of the principal highways. Pinching poverty 
was no longer known, and farmers had reached a 
stage of comparative ease and independence. Ma- 
chinery accomplished much of the drudgery, while 
men had leisure to roll along the pikes in easy car- 
riages. 

Half way from the distillery to the Four Corners 
a new turnpike was constructed, connecting remote 
cities. Just at this half way point, by common con- 
sent, the distillery village, for such a group of cab- 
ins it had grown to be, and the Four Corners com- 
promised on a site for a grand central village. 
The new village sprang up rapidly. The houses 
were all small and dilapidated, for they resulted 
from the removal and collection of the surplus old 
houses of the region. Low, one-story log or frame, 
was the rule, but whitewash within and without 



96 THE SERPENT OF 

gave them a neater appearance. Surplus people 
moved in from the Four Corners and Devore's un- 
til these former centers were nearly depopulated. 
The new village was pre-eminently the child of free 
whisky and its interests. There was even a village 
pride in these traits. What village, however hum- 
ble, was ever devoid of local pride ? There was a 
daring freedom in profanity, and an amount of free 
thinking which made its people seem indifferent 
whether there was a God or not. 

"Yet,' , said Matt. Scorsby, the new justice, 
' 'we had better have a church in town ; it will in- 
crease the value of our property, it will serve for 
lectures, it will be an advantage to the peace and 
morals of the place." 

' 'But, look here, 'Squire," interrupted Ingham, 
who kept the variety-store of the new town, "who 
will pay the bills ? " 

"No trouble on that, Jim," returned Scorsby, 
"I'll pay twenty-five dollars ; Devore will invest 
fifty dollars, and I know others who will pay." 

"But what kind of a church shall it be? " que- 
ried the puzzled Ingham, "you see there is not a 
doggoned church member in town." 

"Ha, ha!" laughed Scorsby, "no matter; let it 
be called a Union Church, that will take in all." 

" That's a capital thought, 'Squire, jest suits, so 
get out your subscription at once for the new Union 
Church." 



SUGAR CREEK COLONY. 97 

The scheme took marvelously. Indeed, the vil- 
lagers told it as a work of supererogation for non- 
church people to build a church. It was named 
with special pride. 



98 THE SERPEKT OF 



CHAPTER XXXIII. 



Union Church Dedicated. 



The money for the new church being a small 
amount, was soon raised, Devore's twenty-five 
dollars was subscribed for a bell, as he remarked, 
"so that it would remind him of the various church 
doin's." A building committee was appointed and 
in four months the little block frame was fronting 
the pike ready for use. 

' 'Now who shall dedicate the new church?" in- 
quired Ingham of Scorsby one evening, as a large 
group of villagers stood around the variety-store, 
as their custom was. 

"Don't know," was the reply of Scorsby, "that 
is a question." 

"Mr. Heck," continued Scorsby, "what do you 
say? Shall it be a Baptist, or Presbyterian, or 
Methodist, or what?" 

"Neither of 'em," responded Heck, who was a 
member of the committee, "the committee can't 
agree on any of them fellers, they're not popular 



BUGAR CREEK COLONY. 90 

with us. The committee has invited up the Uni- 

vorsalist preacher next Sunday week, kase, you sec, 
ther" oan'1 be no objection to him from none." 

"That's a mighty good thought, Mr. Heck," 
said Ingham, "'twill tread on the toes of nobody, 
and will suit everybody." 

Elder Burley, of the Universalist church, from 
the nearest city was promptly present, and the new 
church was crowded with people. Burley did his 
own singing for no one had thought of this want. 
Fortunately, too, he brought his own Bible. The 
sermon, or rather, oration of eulogy on the people, 
was pleasing to everybody. It was a sweet, sugar- 
coated message. Everybody was praised, the great 
brotherhood of man was praised, the goodness and 
love of God was praised, and the people were final- 
ly dismissed with a pride in themselves and a flat- 
tery in the extolling liberality of the preacher that 
repaid them, as Ingham remarked, " for the entire 
outlay for the whole doggond thing." 

Elder Burley was engaged to return and preach 
once per month, so long as he could afford it gratu- 
itously; for, as the committee informed him, "the 
town was totally strapped in building the church." 



100 THE SERPENT OF 



CHAPTER XXXI V. 



Devore's Servant Cabery. 

Notwithstanding Devore's assertion that he inten- 
ded to pull down the distillery, it continued to make 
whisky. The long pens near by were full of grunt- 
ing hogs waiting their warm slop. Lolling oxen 
were in the adjacent pasture, to Which quarters 
plank troughs conveyed their share of the same 
food . The dull croak of wheels, the smell of alco- 
hol, and the constant profanity indicated that the 
work of the last third of a century was yet in full 
blast. 

Devore's faithful old servant Cabery, now becom- 
ing quite gray, still assured the people along the 
highway by the crack of his whip and his ponderous 
six-horse wagon loaded with barrels of whisky that 
the still-house was in existence. Of the old gener- 
ation that saw the still-house erected and sympa- 
thized with the enterprise, Cabery was nearly alone 
as the remaining representative. Many of the oth- 
ers rilled drunkards' graves, and several had been 



Ml CHEEK COLONY 101 

suddenly carried to their graves by accidents result- 
ing while intoxicated. Cabery seemed destined to 
live and die an unchangeable quantity. That he 
ever thought of a future was not divulged by him- 
self. To be the king of six horses and the servant 
of Devore was his highest aspiration. His seven 
sons were like him. 

"Dew think I'd hev a farm," said he to a neigh- 
bor who met him as the horses were taking a breath- 
ing spell, ''no, sirree, I want no farm to bother me, 
wouldn't hev it, be 'sponsible fur everything and 
'plexed 'bout taxes. No, sirree, I'd rather drive 
my six-horse team, see the city every week, and 
be independent. " This last remark he accompanied 
with a smart crack of his whip for emphasis. ;, Git 
up there, click, click," and away he went with the 
great wagon-load of whisky to find its victims. 

Cabery' s step was not so firm as once : indeed he 
drank, drank often, but somehow, he was callous 
to the usual effects. Once, however, his step was 
very unsteady. That day he attempted to move 
some bees to another hive. He had fastened them 
within, and secured the avenues, and was proceed- 
ing to carry the gum, or hive in his arms so as to 
adjust it to another new hive. But being unsteady 
from the liquor in him, his feet slipped, the hive fell 
and cracking open let the mad swarm upon him in 
a moment. The effect was indescribable. The 
family, the pack of dogs, the chickens and the loose 
horses were all in an uproar. The six steady steeds 



102 THE SERPENT OP 

in the near barnyard got stray shots from the scout- 
ing bees and needed no click of their owner's whip 
to scamper off more lively than w T as their grave cus- 
tom. Cabery wildly rushed across the road to the 
paw-paw bushes lashing and twirling his arms this 
way and that. Stung unmercifully he finally, after 
tearing through the thicket of leaves and bushes, 
out-distanced his tormentors. Oh! how sick he was 
from the stings, the shock and the consumed whis- 
ky. But whisky was his ideal panacea for all dis- 
eases ; so he drank freely to counteract the stings. 
The only mitigation of the stings was the apology 
for this favorite medicine. But mother nature 
finally restored him, and he was again in the saddle. 



BUGAB CREEK COLONY. 



103 



CHAPTER XXXV. 



Spencer Martin, the 'Squire's Son. 

'Squire Martin's presentiment that his children 
would reap the fruit of his early example stood as a 
prophecy ; would it be realized in his own life ? 
Little Spencer, who mixed the drinks in the har- 
vest field and tempted the other hoys fourteen years 
before, had grown to be a very pert man. Some 
called him talented, but his religious nature had 
been totally demoralized. Being averse to manual 
labor, he had sought and found a clerkship in a 
prosperous little city. His chief talent was shrewd- 
ness ; while his acquired abilities were deception 
and dishonesty. Nevertheless he was a smooth 
gentleman, cutting the acquaintance of his former 
rural associates and dressing in dandy style. In. 
two years he married the daughter of his employer, 
and his future was apparently bright and enviable. 

"Bad news, boys," called out old Cabery one 
day, as he drove the big team by the blacksmith- 
shop. 



104 THE SERPENT OF 

•'What is it, Cabery?" quickly inquired one of 
the men. 

4 'Jest take the Gazette here, and read for yer- 
self, thar it is," returned Cabery, as he handed the 
paper over. 

The citizen read aloud as follows: 

" Forger Y.*-Last Saturday it was discovered 
that one of our merchants, Mr. Sewer, had his name 
forged upon a note offered as a collateral for a bank 
loan for fifteen hundred dollars. The cashier at 
once detected the forgery. The holder promptly 
explained that he had it from Spencer Martin, the 
son-in-law of Mr. Sewer. It was a very shallow 
and bungling forgery. Martin heard of the detec- 
tion, and before he could be arrested, escaped to 
parts unknown. The management of the forger 
was so poor he did not realize accent." 

As this notice was made known to his old friends 
and neighbors, amazement and sorrow filled every 
heart. The news spread like wildfire and his large 
circle of relatives were covered with shame. Poor 
old 'Squire Martin wept for his fallen son, like Da- 
vid for Absalom. " I feared something dreadful 
would befall my sons," cried he, ''and here it is, a 
judgment of God visiting the iniquity of their father 
upon his children ; would that the grave had cov- 
ered me from this shame ! " But this was not all. 
A lovely sister of Spencer, hearing of the family 
disgrace, became deranged. The light of reason 



8UGAE CREEK COLONY. 105 

novoi- dawned to her again, and after a few short 
months she passed away in mental darkness. 

The old father nearly sank under this second bur- 
den. He was pitied and loved by all. And if ever 
mortal was punctual in religious integrity it was he. 
This, in fact, was now his only consolation, for he 
read in his Bible: "Cast thy burden upon the 
Lord." 



106 THE SERPENT OF 



CHAPTER XXXVI. 



Effect of the Still-House on the Value of Real 
Estate. 

A stranger came into the bounds of Sugar Creek, 
seeking land for a house. Five miles away, at the 
country tavern, he dined, and thus interviewed the 
landlord . 

"I say, landlord, are there any farms for sale over 
west?" 

1 'Certainly, sir, you will find a few farmers will- 
ing to sell." 

"Can you name any, landlord?" 

"Yes, there's the old Jimmy Barclay place has 
been insolvent ten years and must be sold. A 
leetle north, the widow Staples' s farm is for sale. 
Then, if you go west of Sugar Creek you will find 
every other man will be glad to sell." 

"Why, landlord, what makes this remarkable 
disposition to sell over there? " 

"Well, you see," explained the genial landlord, 
' ' When you hit Sugar Creek neighborhood you are 
in the influence of the Devore distillery, this side 



SUGAR CREEK COLONY. 107 

Sugar ('rock you have the influence of Martin's 
Church. I'm no Christian myself, but them's tho 
facts, stranger." 

"But, landlord, is there a difference in the price 
of these lands ? " 

"My! yes. They'll ask you nigh onto a hun- 
dred dollars an acre for a good farm in the Martin 
neighborhood, but when you git to the Devore 
neighborhood and furder, you kin pick up plenty 
on 'em for sixty and seventy-five." 

"But look here, landlord, perhaps there is a dif- 
ference in the quality of the lands, is there not ?" 

"Yes, sirree, but the best lands are, tother side of 
Devore' s." 

"Then tell me, how do you explain this vast dif- 
ference in value ? " 

"Why, you see, stranger, them fellers for miles 
beyond the distillery steal melons, rob hen-roosts, 
have neighborhood fights and play the deuce gener- 
ally. That's what they pay to have a still-house." 

"I thank you, landlord, for all these facts. If I 
purchase on Sugar Creek, it will be on this side and 
not in the Devore neighborhood. Good day." 

"Good day, stranger." 



108 THE SERPENT OF 



CHAPTEE XXXVII. 

Devore Defrauding the Revenue Law, 

To the young who live in this peaceful land to- 
day there can be but little conception and no reali- 
zation of a great civil war so late as 1860 making 
its intolerable sorrow from Florida to Oregon, But 
it came, raged like a universal contagion, and was 
only ended, after forcing hundreds of thousands of 
brave boys on both sides down into early graves. 

The great day alone will discover, however, how 
far king alcohol as a destroyer, outranks even this 
dreadful war. Civil wars may rage and then yield 
to peace, but alcohol perpetuates its devastation in 
the ruin and disgrace of posterity, making fearful 
havoc under the strategy and authority of legisla- 
tion in state and national governments. 

The civil war debt, bequeathed to the survivors 
for payment, was twenty-eight hundred million 
dollars. Congress indirectly legalized the liquor- 
traffic by ordering a heavy tax upon all distilled and 
malt liquors in order to liquidate the war debt. 



sue, A 11 CREEK COLONY. 109 

"Because of its abundant use in the army and its 
hospitals alcohol had gone up to fabulous prices. 
It' the revenue assessed by the government on the 
manufactured article had all been paid without 
fraud, the war debtwouldhave been wiped out long 
ago. The temptation to evade the revenue law was 
too great for the crafty distiller. By this evasion, 
hundreds of dealers and especially manufacturers 
amassed fabulous wealth. The Devore distillery 
had kept steadily on with this harvest of dishon- 
esty. For a few months, in defiance of the revenue 
law, it made and sold its products. Finally a wail 
came to the Four corners, the new village, and the 
distillery, but at the same time a hallelujah was sent 
up by the church and the Sunday-school. The 
agent of the law, on the alert, swooped down on 
Devore, and seizing his stills and fixtures, bore 
them away as forfeitures to the government. The 
tottering old man was required to pay a heavy fine 
to escape still worse penalty. He barely escaped 
with his farm where he could dole out a gloomy 
remnant of life until his evening sun would set 
in darkness. 



110 THE SERPENT OF 



CHAPTER XXXVIII. 



Two Quite Opposite Destinies. 

Sabin Devore, the distiller's son, early showed 
special talent. Indeed, he was the hope of an err- 
ing father. But the son, when he came to years, 
with a better civilization and humanity than the pa- 
rent, could not brook the opprobrium of public 
opinion in regard to his father's business and sought 
a home in a distant region, a few days' journey 
from the land of his birth. Would he, could he, 
throw off the influences of the still-house and its 
constant society from childhood? He had ambi- 
tion and sought promotion through political chan- 
nels, but for a long time every door was closed. At 
last he secured a position as an aid to a revenue col- 
lector. The region of his new home had a large 
whisky interest, and much of the receipts of this 
revenue district were from whisky. It devolved 
upon Sabin Devore to superintend this department. 
And whether an ancestral appetite was transmitted 
or a fatal tendency was acquired, we cannot say, 



BUGAB CHEEK COLONY. Ill 

but at any rate, Sabin was singularly pleased with 
his department. His functions were highly impor- 
tant to the government, because so vast a revenue 
came through his hands from this source. His hon- 
esty and integrity would turn millions into the pub- 
lic treasury, while his irregularity might enrich 
himself and vastly defraud the government. 

Sabin soon discovered a familiarity with the man- 
ufacturer and vender of whisky. His cheeks began 
to rill out with the unnatural coagulation and firing 
by alcohol of albumen which was never destined to 
lodge there. His nose began to bloom from the 
fever of repeated draughts. His eyes lost their 
clearness, and the small blood capillaries over the 
balls and in the ciliary processes of the corners, in. 
tended to convey only white blood, were heated to 
an expansion which admitted the red globules, giv- 
ing a blood-shot appearance. Yet as a citizen and 
a man he was genial and hospitable. 

One morning a telegram was flashed over the 
wires from city to csty, as follows : " Sabin Devore, 
an assistant to the Internal Revenue Officer, to whom 
much of the office-w r ork was committed, has been 
detected in a long series of fraudulent practices, 
conniving with the manufacturers of whisky in the 
non-payment of revenue and other crookednesses, 
involving a considerable sum. Devore has been 
arrested." 

The same telegraph-office to which the above 
message was sent, was entrusted with a far different 



112 THE SERPENT OF 

message on the same day to a city daily as follows : 
"Orange blossoms. Married — at Judge Moore's, 
this morning, Joseph Roberts to Miss Nellie Moore, 
a daughter of the Judge. These parties are highly 
respectable and influential. The accomplished pair 
are the favorites of the whole community. Many 
and valuable presents were received. They will 
soon repair to the city where Mr. Roberts will begin 
his professional life." 



SUGAB CHEEK COLONY. 113 



CHAPTER XXXIX. 



Pilgrims Gathering Home. 



"I have come, mother, to say good-by — for to 
day we must leave." So said Joseph Roberts, one 
week after his marriage, as he approached the bed^ 
side of his aged mother. 

"Son, I am so sorry you must go from us," she 
replied. 

"And I am very sad, mother, to go and to leave 
you so poorly — I hope you will be better soon." 

'•Xot in this world, my boy," she suppressedly 
uttered, as a burden of tears of tenderness suffused 
her sunken eyes. 

"But, mother, hope for the best and be cheerful. 
I will try to be a good man, as I leave you to go 
into the world — see here, mother," he continued, 
gently placing his hand on the shoulder of his bride 
— ' k see here, what a good wife I have gained. She 
will furnish me woman's influence still. Do you not 
think she can help me to be good and useful? " 



114 THE SERPENT OF 

"J pray she may, son — but be careful — some fall 
who are just as strong as you — remember I dedica- 
ted you to God, in your infancy, when disease 
threatened your life." 

The sad farewell was ended. This saiat of God, 
pressed by age and infirmity, never arose. In six 
short weeks, after uttering this testimony — "Ob! 
the sun shines so brightly," she yielded her soul to 
the immortal convoy whose chariot took it home, 
while the moital part was put to rest in the church- 
yard. Never was there a nobler or truer woman, 
companion and mother. 

Adam Roberts, the bereaved husband, now quite 
aged, had nothing left to be accomplished in his 
life-mission except daily to mature for an early 
reunion with his wife in heaven. 

As the venerable William Martin said to his 
wife : — "I think, Kittle, that father Roberts' charity 
has been unbounded all through life — he loves to do 
good, to do right and to serve God." 

"Yes," she replied, "and how he has strength- 
ened Temperance among us ! — but his work is nearly 
done." 

His race to glory was quickened by the recent 
departure of some of his loved ones. There was his 
beloved wife ; there was his daughter Cornelia, the 
temperance bride of a quarter of a century before ; 
she had gone on before, while her dear form was 
sweetly sleeping in a distant grave, under a weeping 
willow; and there was Lizzie too, who had long since 



SUGAR CREEK COLONY. 115 

secured the name of little Jo. to the pledge— she 

was now among the immortals. So this grand old 
man was ready, 

•'Sing me," said the dying man to his children, 

•• There's a land far away, 'mid the stars, we are told. 
Where they know not the sorrows of time." 

A> the soft music filled the room, the" venerable 
man responded, — "Glory to God." 

When his eyes were closed and his soul was half 
through the gates, his son said ; i ' Father, you must 
be nearly through ; can you leave us a token? If 
you cannot speak, could you tell us, if all is bright 
and well, by raising a hand or finger?" 

The victor threw up both hands : and then his 
spirit passed up peacefully and calmly just with the 
clear setting sun. . Thus, far beyond threescore 
and ten, his ever kind eye closed to earth, but the 
spirit-vision had opened to immortality. 



116 THE SERPENT OF 



CHAPTER XL. 

The Harvest of Inte?npera?ice. 

Far away from Sugar Creek in the hill country 
of another state was the lovely village of Taunton, 
nestling on both sides of a swift, clear river, that 
flowed from a lake not far above. Here were mills 
and machinery, and the village houses were built 
upon the very margin of the river. Since the cur- 
rent was so swift, the waters could only rise a few 
inches. One street, parallel with the river, and only 
fifty yards distant from it, gave room for the blocks 
of houses to run back entirely to the water. Little 
cross-streets came up to the bank and some of them 
had neat bridges binding the two half villages into 
one. On the uppermost of these cross-streets, and 
but fifty feet from the river, was a liquor-saloon' 
driving a flourishing business, with its counters al- 
ways well attended. Its keeper, though not its 
owner, was a man of nearly middle life who had 
evidently seen better days. He was a constant 



BT7GAB CREEK COLONY. IVl 

drinker of his own liquors, until Ins eyes, nose, 
cheeks and system, all carried the inevitable marks 
of the inebriate ; often he was in partial intoxication, 
a middle state, termed by bis chums booziness. 

The clear, deep river at this point was enlarged 
into a wide lake because of the dam just below. 
Here within fifty feet of the saloon, people dipped 
their buckets for water, and in the winter cut 
through the ice to reach the water. 

One winter night the saloon-keeper, in his usual 
tipsy condition, was waiting on his customers, when 
needing water, he took a bucket to dip from the 
river through the ice. The customers waited, but 
he did not return. At length becoming impatient, 
they hunted for him among the few shops and stores 
yet open, but with no success. Then men became 
anxious in the settled conviction that he had stag- 
gered and fallen through the hole in the ice and had 
been dragged downward and onward by the cur- 
rent to his destruction. 

Next morning being Saturday, word spread of the 
saloon-keeper's disappearance and almost certain 
doom. At least two hundred men soon gathered to 
search the river, the dam, the swift, rocky river bed. 
through the village and the lake of the lower dam. 
Soon their worst fears were confirmed by finding 
his hat and tin -pail settled in the bottom of the 
river near the hole. Then the eager search con- 
tinued, the men whispering in solemn tones as if at 
a funeral. 



118 THE SERPENT OP 

Pastor Pratt remarked to Pastor Jones : i ' I shall 
not name this subject to my congregation : for the 
circumstances themselves are preaching effectually 
to every one the most powerful sermon." 

"No," replied Pastor Jones, "the Providence of 
God has brought an awful judgment on the man — 
it is a clear judgment — we must be silent and let 
God work; but," continued Jones, "my pulpit is 
to be supplied to-morrow by a man of prominence 
and official position among our people." 

"Who?" inquired the other. 

"It is Rev. Joseph Roberts from Ohio," answered 
Pastor Jones. 

"Oh, yes," added Pastor Pratt, "I have heard of 
him." 

All Saturday was exhausted by the villagers of 
Taunton in a fruitless search for the lost man. 

A bright, cold winter Sabbath dawned and invited 
people to the sanctuary. A few still kept search- 
ing and speculating as to the fate of the missing 
saloon-keeper. The church bells rang. The large 
church where the stranger was to preach was on the 
river side of the street, running quite down to the 
water's edge so that the pulpit bordered the river. 

As the second bell was tolling and the church was 
crowding full, some men saw a suspicious object 
immediately back of the church, perhaps a hundred 
feet distant in the river, frozen to the rock. It ap- 
peared like human clothing. With difficulty the 
object was reached — and there — was the saloon- 




ONE OF THE CHARACTERS ALLUDED 
TO IN THIS VOLUME. 



BUOAB CBEEK COLONY. 110 

keeper's lifeless form frozen to the emerging rock! 
He had evidently fallen in, glided under the ice, 
floated swiftly towards the dam from which a por- 
tion of the boards had been removed, was carried 
through and down the steep current until lodged 
and frozen to this rock. Just as the bell ceased 
tolling for services, men had recovered his body, 
and placing it in a sleigh carried it by the church 
door toward his house. 



120 THE 8EKPEST OF 



CHAPTER XLI. 



The Mystery of a Life Unraveled. 

At this moment the conveyance containing the 
strange preacher drove up to the church. Joseph 
Roberts was ignorant of the tragedy and the sur- 
roundings. He presented a clear, pointed sermon 
on the sacredness of human life which God had 
created in His own image. The text was : "Thou 
shalt not kill." In addition to the main points of 
the discourse the preacher alluded to "indirect 
murder" as follows: "The misguided man who 
manufactures or sells alcohol, knowing as he does 
its power over the taste and its poisonous and fatal 
tendencies, is an indirect murderer; and the man 
who abuses his appetite and drinks alcohol until 
his life is destroyed either by immediate effects or 
by accident resulting from intoxication is a self- 
murderer." 

The remarks were solemnly true to the sad know- 
ledge of that audience. The services were ended 



BUGAB CREEK COLONY. 121 

and the congregation dismissed. "Brother Rob- 
erts," — paid Pastor Jones after complimenting the 
sermon and thanking the preacher for it — "Brother 

Roberts, did you know you preached directly the 
funeral sermon to-day, o\' a poor man who was 
found in the river drowned and was carried home 
past here just as you reached the church'?" 

"No, Brother Jones, tell me about the case," 
answered Roberts with some eagerness. 

The pastor related the whole circumstance and 
concluded by saying that "the name of the unfor- 
tunate man was Martin." 

"Martin! did you say," hurriedly interposed 
Roberts. 

"Yep, Martin!" 

"Where was he from'?" excitedly asked Roberts. 

"Let me see, Ohio, I think." 

"Is it possible! Do you know his first name, 
Brother Jones?" 

"Yes, the boys call him Spencer." 

"Spencer Martin ! " uttered Roherts with evident 
feeling and amazement — "Can you approximate 
the man's age? " 

"I should judge he was about forty." 

"Can it be? — but, Brother Jones, could we go 
directly to his late home and seethe drowned man? 
— I fear he was a playmate of my boyhood .' ' 

"Is it possible!" added Jones; "then I will go 
with you at once and see the afflicted 1'amily." 

The two ministers soon entered the house of 



122 THE SERPENT OF 

mourning, where the deceased was prepared for his 
last rites. 

"May we look at Mr. Martin?" asked Pastor 
Jones of one of the attendants. 

" Certainly, walk in this way," and the man led 
the way to the presence of the dead. Joseph 
Roberts was utterly confounded — 

' 'My God!" uttered he reverently — "it is tht j 
same Spencer Martin who was my close neighbor in 
my childhood — knew him like a brother — was his 
playmate — gathered sheaves with him in the harvest 
field!" 

The strong men present were moved at this inter- 
view of the living with the dead, brought around 
mysteriously by Providence. 

Joseph Roberts, upon leaving Taunton, was en- 
trusted by the stricken wife, with sad messages and 
mementoes to 'Squire Martin the aged father of 
Spencer. These sad duties were, in due time, faith- 
fully and tenderly discharged. 



SUGAB CREEK COLONY. 123 



CHAPTER XLII. 

Gathering Home. 

Old "Squire Martin, whose cup of sorrow was full 
long before, had anticipated such a possible tragedy 
to his son. Indeed, like the prophecy of Jacob of old, 
the 'Squire's presentiment of judgments upon his 
sons, hung gloomily over both parent and child. 
But the broken heart had reached a stage where 
anguish could do but little more. He would not 
be away from his heavenly home very long. God 
had fully accepted him for the sake of Jesus. He 
thought of Spencer, now resting in that distant vil- 
lage cemetery under the moaning pines, where the 
birds would chant a requiem and the winds would 
sigh in a dirge until the resurrection. 

The poor old man, bent with infirmity, venerable 
with years, sad with sorrow, came down to the last 
scene. Surviving friends, true and faithful, were 
all around him. For many a year he had lived true 
to his public vow at conversion : — "God helping me, 
I will endeavor to live a prayerful life and go with 
you to heaven. ' ' 



124 THE SEEPENT OF 

"Now," said he, "with me, the first enemy to 
be destroyed was alcohol — the Searcher of Hearts 
knows it is dead to me — the last enemy to be de- 
stroyed is death — I shall soon be victor over this foe 
also." So this redeemed man died in the faith and 
was gathered to his fathers. 

The ranks were thinning. Good, old William 
Martin and his aged wife were now the only survi- 
vors of that first colony of 1812. As lovers, the ar- 
dency of this pair never waned from the blushes of be- 
trothal at the foot of the Greenbrier Mountains in Vir- 
ginia to the dissolution by death from that marriage 
vow which promised: — "So long as ye both shall 
live." They loved each other with unabated con- 
stancy. It were not sacrilege to here record the 
observation of the good woman wiio cared for them 
when they had both passed fourscore. Said she : — 
"Early one morning, it was necessary to visit their 
sleeping room, and the exhibition I there saw, will 
never be forgotten — the aged pair were locked in 
each other's arms in deep slumber, and this had 
been their custom through life." 

If we only could have a translation and never see 
deatli ! But as they had been always the constant 
and ardent friends of God and humanity, in a Chris- 
tian fullness, death would only be a temporary 
sleep. 

Kittie had exceeded fourscore when the message 
of mortality came, and this bride of more than sixty 
years, was taken from the arms of her lover by the 



sue. MI CREEK COLONY. 125 

good angel of life and introduced to the angels. 

Now it was that the lonely survivor longed to go 
hence in the return chariot, for every companion of 
his life had gone to rest. His faith was like that 
of Abraham : his spiritual vision clear as that of 
Moses on Pisgah; his peace as the pure onward 
river; and his charity was modeled after the Christ. 
When the messenger invited him to the eternal 
world, oh, how he rejoiced ! He said, "I shall soon 
see father Roberts, and brother Andrew, and the 
sainted Kit tie, with others who have gone before 
— and the Blessed Jesus." From the midst of a vast 
group of friends and sorrowing relatives, he was 
permitted at last to depart. After a farewell to 
each, he added, "I have fought the good fight — 
we will meet again — the chariot is waiting — sing a 
song about glory. " And while soft melody touched 
the ultimate theme of our lives — "The far away 
Home of the Soul'' — his pure spirit was translated 
with the chorus up to God. Last of all that gene- 
ration he was at rest. And his ashes sweetly repose 
beside those of the bride of his youth in the church- 
vard of Sugar Creek. 



126 



THE SERFEKT OF 




" The old frame church has long since given place to 

a more ample and beautiful religious temple."* 

— See Chapter xliii. 



K I 1IKEK COLONY 18? 



CHAPTER XLIII. 



The Finale. 



Reader, our task is clone. We delay a moment 
for the gleanings. The next generation about Sugar 
Creek is now dropping away. New faces and forms 
occupy the ranks of young manhood and womanhood, 
and a fourth generation is in the cradle. The old 
frame church has long since given place to a more 
ample and beautiful religious temple. White monu- 
ments and slabs and pine trees now cover the adja- 
cent church-yard, while other acres have been 
incorporated into this City of the Dead. 

Nearly all those who were the original advocates 
and patrons of the still-house became its final vic- 
tims. Ramscroft and Cabery and Devore died as 
they lived. Yet some were saved, for the church, 
and civilization : and temperance finally triumphed. 
And other churches sprang up all around where the 
k is fed and healthy Sabbath-schools are the 
homes of the younger generation. 



128 THE SERPENT OF 

The most wonderful miracle of grace was Captain 
Hood, the famous drummer of the past. Having 
escaped the society of the Four Corners by removal 
to a distant state, for many years he redeemed lost 
hours by a consistent old age of Christian devotion. 

But what of the old still-house itself? The trav- 
eler will now behold, where it stood, a well plowed 
field with not one vestige remaining of its founda- 
tions, nor of the swinecotes, the ox quarters or the 
shanties. The very mill-race is leveled under. 
And Sugar Creek, pure and sweet, flows laughing 
by, on its rippling way to the great Ohio and the 
ocean. 




